


Masks

by Sarcosuchas



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Bonding, Childhood Trauma, Conflict, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Lies, M/M, Murder, Murder-Suicide, Original Character(s), Revenge, Secrets, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-19 14:56:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 38,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5971117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcosuchas/pseuds/Sarcosuchas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In order for him to have a more ordinary life, Bruce sends Dick Grayson to school. There, Dick quickly becomes friends with one of his classmates, Logan Valence. Unfortunately, Logan has some dark secrets that will not only put him at odds with Dick but also with Batman and Robin. Can Dick save his new friend before he crosses the line?<br/>Eventual Dick/OC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Fateful Meeting

Thunder crashed loudly in the black skies above Wayne Manor. Lightning flashed violently, casting horrifically shaped shadows across the walls and through the windows of the stately home. The rain drummed loudly on the rooftop and pattered incessantly against the glass of the Manor’s large windows. The sandstone coloured mansion stood defiantly against the storm on the hilltop. The manor was as tall as it was wide, allowing a perfect view of Gotham City from the highest corner turrets.

Another bright flash of lighting illuminated the inside of Bruce Wayne’s study. Bruce stood by the grandfather clock entrance to the cave with his arms folded, creasing the sleeves of one of his many suits. The clock had already slid to the side to reveal the dark staircase but his ongoing argument with his ward, Richard Grayson, was preventing him from leaving.

Dick Grayson stood next to Bruce’s desk as he glared angrily at the man. Despite their almost father-son relationship and their exceptional partnership as Batman and Robin, there were times when they wouldn’t see eye to eye. Earlier in the week, Alfred had suggested enrolling Dick into one of Gotham’s many schools so that he could continue his education and have some sort of normality in his life. Bruce had agreed and had quickly found an acceptable school. Unfortunately, Dick wasn’t too fond of the idea but the argument had started when Bruce had declared he would be going out on patrol alone.

“I don’t need to go to school!” Dick snapped in frustration. “My place is out there with you keeping Gotham safe!”

“There’s more to life than being Robin.” Bruce argued back. “You’re young, you need to have an ordinary life outside of this house.”

“That doesn’t stop me from going out with you tonight!” The teen continued, used to the older man’s stubbornness after four years of living with him.

“Yes it does.” Bruce countered rapidly. “You need a couple days to properly rest before you start school. You’re already enrolled.”

“I can handle it.” Richard shot back defiantly. He was not a little boy anymore.

Bruce recognised that as Dick had gotten older, he had become more headstrong and more willing to disagree with his legal guardian. Although he respected the newfound maturity, he was quickly angered by the stereotypically rebellious teenage outbursts.

“This isn’t up for discussion, Dick.” Bruce retorted before walking through the cave entrance with the clock sliding closed behind him.

Dick stood in the study alone. His argument with Bruce had not gone as he expected it would and the older man had treated him like a naïve child yet again. He clenched his fists in frustration but knew better than to lash out and break something. Dick took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself down before storming off to his bedroom, the raging thunderstorm outside matching his mood.

 

Commissioner Gordon gazed down at the busy streets below. He held a large navy blue umbrella above his head in a fairly pathetic attempt to keep himself dry in the middle of the storm. Behind him, the large bat signal shone brightly into the sky, reflecting off the dark clouds above to remind everyone that Batman was on the prowl. He shivered as the cold air penetrated his trench coat and used his free hand to pull the collar closer to his face. The smart shoes he wore to work were soaked through, making his feet numb from the cold. His black trousers stuck to his legs and his vision was blurred by the raindrops on his glasses.

He sighed as he turned around and despite it having become a normality over the last decade, Jim Gordon always jumped when he suddenly came face to face with the Batman. The familiar dark armour plated suit with the bat symbol on the chest plates. The long black cape that wrapped around the man and often billowed romantically in the wind and finally the black cowl with the pointed bat ears and frightening white eyes. Batman always seemed to be unusually large for one man. He towered over most people with his height and was far broader than anyone Jim had ever met. Batman was an armoured mountain of muscle but he was also one of Jim’s best friends and by far his closest ally.

“Do I have to remind you how inconsiderate it is to sneak up on an old man?” Gordon joked with his stoic friend.

“What have you got, Jim?” Batman asked with that deep voice that always commanded authority.

“We finally got a location for that new drug cartel that started operating in the city.” Jim explained, handing him photos from one of the stakeouts.

Batman looked at the photos as Jim continued to explain.

“They’re using a large storage unit in the Narrows.” Gordon continued. “Unmarked trucks come and go, presumably delivering and collecting the drugs.”

“Any leads on who is in charge?” Batman questioned as rain water dripped down his armour.

“None.” Gordon answered with a smirk. “I figured that’s where you could come in.”

“I’ll make them talk.” Batman responded, handing the photos back to Jim.

Gordon placed the photos back into the folder he had taken them from, glad that he had laminated them beforehand. He was about to ask Batman a question but stopped himself when he looked up to find that Batman had already disappeared into thin air. Gordon looked around but couldn’t find any sign of the caped crusader.

“I swear, one of these days I’m gonna nail his feet to the floor.” Gordon muttered to himself before turning off the signal and heading back inside.

 

A polite knock on Dick’s bedroom door signalled Alfred’s arrival. The butler waited a few seconds before slowly opening the door and letting himself in. Alfred was dressed in his usual attire, a black suit with a white shirt and black bowtie. He stood in the doorway with his hands behind his back as he observed the scowling teenager. Dick was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling in total darkness and was only illuminated by the light flooding in from the hall.

“Master Dick, dinner will be ready in ten minutes.” Alfred informed him.

“I’m not hungry, Alfred.” Dick replied, still glaring holes into the ceiling above him.

“Nonsense.” Alfred retorted sharply. “Even Robins need to keep up their strength.”

“But I’m not Robin tonight.” Dick responded with a growl. “He doesn’t trust me. He’s still treating me like a little kid.”

“If I may, Master Dick, you’re wrong about him.” Alfred explained, earning a glare from the teen. “Master Bruce wants what is best for you. You know as well as I do he’s not always the most sentimental person but he does have your best interests in mind.”

“And stopping me from going out on patrol?” Dick questioned, sitting up in bed. “Treating me like a kid?”

“Master Bruce wants you to be well rested and ready for this next part of your life.” Alfred continued calmly. “Wait until you are adjusted to school before you attempt to prove him wrong.”

“I’m just going to be pretending to be like the other students when I’m nothing like them.” Dick was bitter, knowing he’d listen to people talk about their parents when his were dead.

“That may be true but maybe if you start pretending, you may even have a little by accident.” Alfred concluded. “Dinner will be ready in five minutes.”

With that said, Alfred removed himself from the room and headed back to the kitchen. Dick stared at the doorway for a few more moments, frustrated that he could never win an argument in the house. He was grateful that Alfred was calm and polite when he did argue, which was a strong contrast to Bruce’s more abrasive way of wording things. He finally got out of bed when his stomach growled loudly in protest.

 

Batman crouched on the roof of the warehouse, looking down through the skylight at the operation below. Above him, the storm raged on with loud crashes of thunder and blinding flashes of lightning as the rain slammed down on the roof around him. It was weather like this that made him glad that his armour and cape were completely waterproof.

Inside the warehouse, a large group of men, some of which were armed with machineguns, were loading crates and boxes into unmarked trucks. Batman already knew what was inside the boxes and crates but he needed to know who it was all going to. He would break up the operation and force one of them to talk.

His vision changed to hues of dark blue and purple as his cowl switched to the built in Detective vision, highlighting the armed thugs and allowing him to identify how many men were down there. Once he knew, he pressed a button on a small device on his utility belt that cut the power to the warehouse, startling the thugs with the sudden darkness.

Before any of them could react, Batman smashed through the skylight, his cape opening up above him to resemble bat wings as he landed on one of the walkways. The thug who had been standing there with a gun didn’t even see the punch coming before he was knocked out. Other thugs aimed at Batman but some quick batarangs disarmed them before they were pounced on and knocked unconscious.

On the ground level of the warehouse, all the men were looking up with fearful expressions as they watched Batman make short work of their armed protection. Suddenly, smoke erupted all around them off the floor as Batman descended onto their level. They couldn’t see through the smoke but Batman could, allowing him to take each of them down with swift strikes.

As he finished up, he spotted one of the men, dressed all in black and wearing a balaclava, rushing for the staircase. The man rushed up the metal stairs as fast as he could, hoping to get away before Batman noticed him. He pushed open the door and ran across the metallic rooftop but stopped as soon as he got behind the water container. To his horror, Batman was standing their waiting for him. The rainwater dripping down his large black cape that cocooned his body.

“There’s nowhere to run and I want answers.” Batman warned him, venom lacing his tone.

In desperation, the man swung a powerful kick at Batman’s side which was swiftly grabbed by Batman’s gloved hand. In one sudden, smooth movement, Batman knocked the man onto his back. He groaned as the back of his head slammed against the roof with a metallic clang before yelping when Batman’s foot dropped down onto his face. The man cried out as a loud crack sounded when his nose broke under the pressure.

As he was still holding onto the man’s leg, Batman dragged him across the rooftop until he stood on the very edge of it. He lifted the man and hung him over the edge by his ankle. The man cried out in fear as his balaclava fell from his face and dropped to the alleyway below as blood dripped from his broken nose. His black hair was soaking wet as it too was pulled towards the ground by gravity. It was only then did Batman realise that the man was in fact a teenager, no older than seventeen by the looks of it. Criminals were getting younger.

“Who are you working for?” Batman growled like a lion. “My arm’s getting tired.”

The young man gasped out in horror as he stared back at the terrifying vigilante. Blood was rushing to his head and making him feel dizzy. His nose and head both throbbed from the strikes they had received and his heart was racing. If Batman dropped him from the height they were at he would die on impact.

“Talk!” Batman roared impatiently.

“I…I can’t!” The teen pleaded, stuttering from fear. “He’d kill me if he knew I talked!”

“What makes you think I won’t?” Batman threatened and let go of the teen.

The young man shrieked loudly as he plummeted towards the ground before his body suddenly stopped half-way down. A tight pain in his ankle forced him to glance up and spot the cable that was wrapped tightly around it. He panted as he tried to regain some control of his breathing but his heart was beating faster than it ever had before in his entire life.

“Who are you working for?” Batman roared again, losing what little patience he had left.

“Blake! Phillip Blake!” The teenager cried out. “Everyone calls him Governor on the streets!”

Batman lifted the teen back up and grabbed him by his jacket collar, still holding him over the edge of the roof as his soulless white eyes glared right into the teen’s terrified blue eyes.

“Where can I find him?” Batman snarled.

The teen shook his head desperately. “I don’t know! I swear! He contacts us!”

Batman grunted before tossing the teen back onto the rooftop. He glared down at the young man who was shaking with terror. “If you’re lying, I’ll be back and I’ll break more than your nose.”

The teen looked up in horror and watched as Batman jumped off the roof. He scrambled over to the edge and let his mouth hang agape in shock. The horrifying creature had vanished into the night. It was as if he had never been there to begin with. He hoped it was the last he ever saw of the Batman, considering he hadn’t been completely honest. The teen spat out the blood that poured from his nose and into his mouth before heading for the stairs. The sound of incoming sirens was getting louder and he didn’t plan on being there when the police arrived.

 

The roar of the engine echoed violently off the cave walls as the batmobile thundered down the runway before stopping on the circular platform in the middle of the cave. The car itself was sleek and black like an armoured sports car. The bat wing shaped fins and bat insignias on the wheels made the owner unmistakable. The platform spun around so that the car was facing the runway again before the roof of the cockpit slid back and opened.

“I do hope you’re not bleeding, sir.” Alfred’s voice called from the side. “I just finished mopping the floor.”

Batman climbed out of the vehicle and landed beside his loyal butler. “How’s Dick?”

“Asleep, though it took a while to convince him not to wait for you.” Alfred answered.

“Good.” Batman grunted in response. “I still have work to do.”

Batman made his way over to the computer but was stopped when Alfred quickly stepped in front of him. The butler glared back at the narrowed white eyes of the cowl, unintimidated by the boy he raised.

“Work that can wait until tomorrow.” He stated firmly.

“Time is of the essence, Alfred.” Batman shot back, though he made no attempt to move.

“Criminals still have to sleep and so do you.” Alfred told him sternly. “And Master Dick expects you at breakfast in the morning.”

“He’ll understand.” Batman retorted, this time trying to move past the older man.

Alfred stepped in his way again. “No, sir. He won’t. Tomorrow is an important day for him and you _will_ be there for it.”

Bruce sighed as he lifted the cowl off his face and dumped the files on the keyboard. “Fine.”

“Very good, Master Bruce.” Alfred commented as Bruce removed the suit. “As a reward. I may even make your favourite in the morning.”

“You don’t have to baby me.” Bruce growled lightly.

“Perhaps you should remind yourself that in regards to Master Dick.” Alfred quipped before heading for the stairs.

 

Dick sighed as he pushed the empty bowl away from him, the ceramic base groaning as it moved across the mahogany dining table. He had eaten his fill of cereal and allowed his eyes to focus on Bruce while he sipped at his orange juice. Bruce hadn’t said a word to the boy apart from their usual morning greeting and was currently reading the newspaper while taking sips of his coffee. It was clear that both of them were reluctant to talk about the elephant in the room.

As the minutes of the morning continued to tick by, they both knew one of them would have to speak. It was Monday and it was going to be Dick’s first day at whatever school Bruce had picked out for him. It quickly dawned on Dick that he didn’t know the name of the school because he had spent so much time being angry at Bruce that he never thought to ask. He pulled at the collar of his shirt. Dick already hated the constricting nature of the school uniform.

The school uniform was simple enough, smart black shoes that Alfred had taken the care to polish the night before, smart black trousers held up by a leather belt with a long sleeved white shirt tucked into them. The white shirt framed a navy blue tie and was covered by a navy blue blazer. On the front of the blazer was the school’s coat of arms with the words “Neart Tre Eolas” written round the symbols. When he had asked Alfred what it meant, he had been told it translated to “Strength Through Knowledge.”

Once Bruce had finished his extensive breakfast, Dick spoke up. “So what’s it called?”

“Dini Academy.” Bruce answered, finally turning his attention to his young ward.

“I still don’t want to go.” Dick protested. “I don’t see the point of it.”

“It’s for your own benefit. You need to socialise more. Make friends.” Bruce explained, much calmer and warmer than the night before. “Alfred and I had many arguments about it when I was your age too.”

“I’m not some rich kid though. I might live with you but I’m not aristocracy.” Dick continued. “I’m a circus kid, not a snob like the other students at this school.”

“Which is why I selected a high performing school accessible for all financial backgrounds.” Bruce explained, much to Dick’s surprise. “They accept students based on performance, not on family income.”

“So you’re actually sending me to a normal school?” Dick questioned, startled at having lost half his argument. “Not some super expensive school fit for Bruce Wayne’s ward?”

Bruce shook his head. “It’s not a normal school, it’s been the highest performing school for the last three years.”

“So no one knows I’m going there yet?” Dick asked, the tension in his shoulders seeping away.

Bruce shook his head. “School is stressful enough without the paparazzi following you around.”

Dick nodded, finally understanding that a lot more consideration had gone into his schooling than simply throwing him into a private school for the super-rich. Bruce caught his attention again by placing a mobile phone in front of him. The flat screened phone was unmistakably a top of the range iPhone 6s Plus yet the Wayne Enterprises logo was also visible on it.

“What’s this?” Dick questioned. He had never felt the need to own a personal phone.

“Your new phone. It already has my number, Alfred’s number, the house and Wayne Enterprises programmed into the contacts.” Bruce explained. “Also, by dialling 051939 you will connect directly to the Bat computer, should it ever be necessary.”

“Are you expecting me to be kidnapped or something?” Dick commented with a sarcastic smirk.

Bruce’s face was serious. “It could happen. Or you could go out with friends. This way we’ll know. It also has a built-in GPS.”

“What else does it have?” Dick asked, still smirking. “A Taser?”

“If you’re ever in an emergency, hold down the Wayne Enterprises logo for five seconds.” Bruce explained. “It will tell the Bat computer where you are and will send an S.O.S beacon to me.”

Dick smiled as he examined the phone before slipping it into his pocket. It was clear that Lucius Fox had helped add the extra applications to the phone and had also resized it so that it was slightly smaller than the original.

“Alfred will take you to school.” Bruce told him as he stood up. “I think I’d attract too much attention at the school gates.”

Dick nodded and stood up, grabbing his red and green backpack and swung it over his shoulder. He was as ready as he was ever going to be to start school and he appreciated Bruce making the effort. The night before they had almost been at one another’s throats. Dick wanted to ask about patrol that night but decided to leave the house on a good note. He would have time to ask Bruce about patrol when he got home.

 

Dick stepped out of the grey Bentley Mulsanne Alfred had used to drive him to school. He took a breath as he scanned the grounds of the school ahead of him. It was filled with students, all separated in various groups of different sizes as they started their day. He thanked Alfred and headed through the gates as the butler drove away.

Dick could feel many pairs of eyes on him as he walked through the grounds. Everyone seemed to know he was new, which didn’t come as a surprise considering he wouldn’t be recognised by anyone. He hoped no one knew he was Dick Grayson, ward of Bruce Wayne.

Ahead of him stood Dini Academy. The building was three floors high with a futuristic design. The roof had a subtle convex curve to it where the dark wooden panels met the reinforced metal. To the side of the building there was a cylindrical section, a set of rooms that were apart from the rest of the building. Above the large double doors was the coat of arms of the school and the name “Dini Academy” in bold letters.

He walked through the double doors and spotted what looked like a reception desk behind an open window. Several women and some men were working busily in the room behind the class. Dick walked up to the window and cleared his throat to get the attention of the woman sitting there.

“Hello, I’m Richard Grayson.” Dick greeted as politely as he could. “This is my first day as a new student. I was told to report to reception.”

“Ah yes! Welcome to Dini Academy, love.” The woman greeted warmly, shaking his blonde hair out her eyes as she pressed a microphone. “Could Logan Valence report to reception please? Logan Valence to reception.”

She smiled to Dick and handed him a small map and guide book. It listed the different classes and teachers of the various subjects in the school curriculum.

“One of our students will be your guide for the day.” She explained. “He’ll be here shortly.”

It wasn’t long before a tall teenager with messy black hair entered the foyer dressed in the same uniform as Dick, though his clothes were noticeably creased. He walked up to Dick and tilted his head to glance at the school guidebook before offering his hand to be shaken.

“You must be the new guy, right?” He greeted with a smile. “Logan Valence.”

Dick smiled back and shook his hand, noticing the distinct cut on his nose. “Dick Grayson.”

“That’s quite a strong grip for someone your size.” Logan commented with a smirk. “So, are you new to Gotham?”

Dick shook his head. “No, I’ve lived here for four years now.”

“That’s a relief, a lot of the new kids need to be told the dos and don’ts of Gotham city.” Logan laughed as they walked down one of the halls together. “I’m born and bred in Gotham. Grew up in Red Hook.”

“That area can be quite rough at night.” Dick commented, it was an area Batman and Robin frequented on their patrol.

“Gotham is rough at night, always has been.” Logan remarked with a shrug. “You sound like you live in the palisades or something.”

Dick laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. “I actually do.”

“Oh, a rich kid, eh?” Logan teased, stopping for a moment with a raised eyebrow. “Best to keep that to yourself. Not everyone here has the best opinion of the upper class.”

“I’m not a rich kid, I just got lucky with family.” Dick explained, determined to keep all the details to himself.

“Lucky?” Logan questioned with a smirk. “I guess you’re a lucky guy in general.”

“How am I a lucky guy?” Dick asked, finding his guide a little difficult to follow.

“Because you’ve got me as your guide instead of some of the other creatures that walk these corridors.” Logan answered with a laugh that Dick nervously shared. “Seriously though, I’m convinced there’s a few future supervillains in my classes.”

“Guess I’m in the right place then.” Dick quipped, the other teen’s humour helping to relax him.

“That’s the spirit!” Logan exclaimed, giving him a high five.

“So, are you actually gonna show me around?” Dick asked after glancing at his watch.

“Oh yeah, sure. Even though you’re in all my classes anyway.” Logan replied, taking the guide and opening it to reveal a map of the school. “As you can see, the main building is a big square, so if you’re lost you just go all the way round on each floor until you find the class you’re looking for.”

Dick nodded as his scanned the map, quickly memorising which subjects were on each floor. One of the many skills he had to have as Robin was excellent short term memory when it came to maps and coordination.

“The building to the side is the school canteen and connected to that is the assembly hall.” Logan continued to explain. “Lastly, this other building near the playing fields is the gymnasium where we take our gym classes. On sunny days it’s great but when it’s wet you’re gonna hate it.”

Logan opened the guidebook to another page to reveal Dick’s weekly schedule of classes. The schedule was simple enough, there would be three classes followed by a long lunch break and then three more classes. Dick was pleased to see that his gym classes were either before lunch or at the end of the day, at least he wouldn’t be rushing to class directly after working out. He smirked as he realised the classes probably wouldn’t phase him after doing Batman’s workout routine for a couple years now.

“I’d recommend noting your schedule down in your phone or something, make it easier to check.” Logan finished up. “Though don’t get caught with your phone out in class. The teachers go crazy.”

“Got it.” Dick nodded with a smile as he stuffed the guidebook into his bag. “So, History first, right?”

Logan nodded, guiding them towards the staircase. “Yep, we’re currently studying Amadeus Arkham. Know anything about him?”

Dick smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I know a thing or two.”

 

The elevator pinged as it reached the designated floor inside Wayne Enterprises, the number illuminated on the side panel as the metal doors parted so that Bruce could exit. He entered the small reception room where his secretary sat at her desk, typing away at her computer as she presumably made arrangements and scheduled meetings for him. Bruce always had appreciated her work and loyalty, even if she could sometimes bother him with her insistence on certain subjects.

“Good afternoon, Mister Wayne.” Clara greeted as he entered.

“Afternoon.” Bruce replied with a smile. “Do I have any messages?”

The brunette shook her head. “None today, sir. Mr. Fox is waiting in your office.”

“Thanks.” Bruce responded before heading past her and entering his office.

Bruce closed the large wooden doors behind him as he entered his spacious office. He locked the door behind him before making his way over to Lucius Fox who sat by the bar typing away on his laptop.

“Ah, Mr. Wayne. Glad you could make it.” Lucius greeted, swivelling round on his chair.

“Lucius.” Bruce greeted with a nod.

“Come by to see the new design, I’m guessing?” Fox suggested with a knowing smirk.

“Read my mind.” Bruce responded with a matching smirk.

Lucius typed a couple lines of code into his laptop before swivelling round on his chair again. He stood up as a metallic cylinder rose from the office floor. Bruce walked up to it and placed his hand on the security mechanism. The mechanism glowed blue as a laser scanned his body rapidly.

“Identity confirmed.” An electronic voice sounded from the cylinder as the door slid open to reveal a brand new Robin suit.

The black boots and gloves largely appeared identical to the previous suit except for the black scallops added to the gauntlets. Everything else, however, was different. The armour on the legs, torso and arms all appeared to be separated into plates with a Kevlar bodysuit underneath them. It reminded Bruce of his latest suit in its design, though Robin’s was more colourful. The Kevlar bodysuit was black while the plates on the legs and arms were a dark green. The body plates for the chest, abdomen and back were all a dark crimson red. A black Robin symbol similar to Bruce’s own Bat symbol was on the chest plates.

The armour extended up the neck in a similar manner to the batsuit with noticeable crumple zones to allow for better movement. The cape was black and much longer than before. A difference between their capes was that Robin’s appeared to have a hood attachment at the top that could be used to cover his head. A new mask was also contained inside the cylinder, hanging on a rack next to the suit. The traditional domino mask had been altered to include an armoured mask that protected his face and ears along with the same soulless white eyes that Batman’s cowl gave him. There was a separate helmet section should Dick choose to wear it.

“What do you think, Mr. Wayne?” Lucius asked after a few moments. “Is it up to standard?”

“You’ve outdone yourself, Lucius.” Bruce commented proudly, not taking his eyes off the suit.

“I was thinking, Mr. Wayne.” Lucius proposed. “Why doesn’t Wayne Enterprises throw a fundraiser to balance the books?”

Bruce smirked, knowing that Dick would be ecstatic when he saw the new suit as he closed the cylinder and let it drop back inside the floor. “What did you have in mind?”

Lucius smiled. “Gotham’s youth. There is a severe lack of hostels and safe places for the disenfranchised children of Gotham. It would be a very charitable event and would aid the city a great deal.”

Bruce nodded. “Good idea. Schedule it with Clara and send the suit to the basement.”

“A field test tonight?” Fox questioned, unsurprised. “Very good, Mr. Wayne. It will be waiting for you when you leave.”

 

Dick closed his eyes as he savoured the intoxicating first bite of the wrap. As they didn’t know what the school cafeteria was like, Alfred had made a packed lunch for Dick that consisted of two very healthily packed wraps and a bottle of orange juice. Dick made a mental note to thank the butler for his choice of filling as the wraps were absolutely delicious and exactly what he needed at that point. Around him, students bustled in and out of the cafeteria as they got their food and either took it outside or sat at one of the many tables. The noise was as expected for a hundred excited students but Dick found his thoughts helped him channel out the ruckus.

The first three hours of school had been a struggle to get through due to how boring the classes had been. History had been focusing on Amadeus Arkham, the founder of Arkham Asylum and someone that Dick knew an awful lot about. When he was younger, the asylum had scared him somewhat so he had taken the time to learn all about the history of the place. It had been a rather tragic few years for Amadeus and Dick couldn’t help but feel sorry for the long deceased man. It came as no surprise that he had known more about the asylum than anyone else in the class.

The foreign language class hadn’t been any more interesting than history. They were studying Spanish, which was a struggle for most of the students except for a couple students. Much to Dick’s surprise, Logan had been one of the students who didn’t struggle with the language at all. Bruce was fluent in at least ten languages, something that aided him in his ongoing war against crime so he had been periodically teaching Dick some of the more common languages over the past couple years. Dick wasn’t fluent in Spanish but he could understand and respond to most things.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when Logan sat himself down across from him, gently dropping a tray of food on the table. He tended to eat at the cafeteria as he preferred warm food, especially on the days when Gotham’s weather was particularly damp and chilly. Dick watched the other teen as he started to eat, quickly noticing that he appeared to have a set order to how he did things. It was akin to an OCD though Dick likened it to Bruce’s strict routines and daily rituals.

“…at people when they eat?” Logan’s voice registered in Dick’s mind.

“What?” Dick asked, slightly stupefied as he hadn’t been listening at all.

“I said, do you usually stare at people when they eat?” Logan asked with a smirk.

“Oh, no. Not at all.” Dick quickly defended, realising he had been doing exactly that.

“No? So I’m an exception or something?” Logan questioned as he took another bite of his lunch.

Dick stuttered and hesitated, understanding what Logan was inferring. “No, that’s not what I meant. I was thinking, that’s all.”

Logan chuckled in amusement after swallowing. “That was some intense thinking.”

Dick grinned back nervously, feeling uncomfortable as these kinds of social interactions were unfamiliar.

“So, how’s the first day going so far?” Logan started a topic of conversation smoothly.

“Boring, to be honest.” Dick replied with a shrug as he took another bite out of his wrap.

“I’m not surprised.” Logan remarked. “You’re a bloody expert on Arkham Asylum and Amadeus.”

“Yeah, well, the asylum always interested me so I decided to learn all about it.” Dick explained. It wasn’t a lie, it was just a superficial explanation.

“I can’t imagine why.” Logan commented with a shiver. “That place freaks me out, especially when you know people like Zsasz and Joker are in there.”

“Better in there than out here.” Dick quickly remarked, something Bruce had once said to him.

“That’s true.” Logan agreed with a shuddered sigh.

Dick wasn’t as good at reading people as Bruce was as he still needed more experience. What he did know, however, was telling him that the subject of Arkham Asylum unsettled his new friend a lot. He couldn’t imagine why. It was a creepy building and housed plenty of psychopaths but most people didn’t have any reason to fear the place.

“I’m gonna get a drink.” Logan quickly excused himself as he walked over to the vending machines.

While Logan was away, Dick took the time to finish his wrap and wash it down with some of his orange juice. As he sat there by himself he heard a group of footsteps approaching. Despite the loudness of the cafeteria, his training didn’t go away and he knew people were about to approach him. Soon enough, a group of four teenagers surrounded him with their apparent leader seating himself on the table in front of Dick.

The boy had short brown hair with a fringe that had been gelled up into spikes. He wore a smug grin on his face as he glared down at Dick. The look on his face made it clear to Dick that he was going to go out of his way to be as annoying as possible. Though Dick had never gone to school before, while travelling with the circus and helping people in Gotham as Robin he had encountered plenty of bullies. They were all the same.

“You’re the new guy, right?” The teen questioned, juggling Dick’s bottle. “What’s your name?”

“Dick Grayson.” Dick replied, hoping that if he just answered them they would leave faster.

The teen snorted with laughter as his friends burst into laughter with him. “Dick? Your parents called you Dick? Why? Your mother love cock too much?”

Dick grit his teeth as he controlled his temper. “It’s short for Richard.”

The teen shook his head as he laughed. “Nah, bet they named you Dick cause they knew you’d be a fag!”

The teen’s friends seemed to find his ridiculous commentary absolutely hilarious if their laughter was anything to go by. Dick was struggling to control his temper, knowing fine well that if he lost control he could literally kill them. Getting into a fight on the first day would not go down well with Bruce.

One of the other teens grabbed Dick’s backpack before he could react and tossed it over to their leader. He grinned as he rummaged in the bag, looking for something he could use against Dick. Eventually he found it and pulled out his mathematics notes.

“Thanks, Dick.” The boy commented, waving the paper in his face. “I needed these.”

“Give those back.” Dick finally spoke, his voice firm. “Now.”

“Or what?” The teen challenged. “You gonna fight all four of us, shorty?”

Dick growled under his breath. No, he was going to break their arms.

Suddenly, the sheet of paper with the maths notes on it was whipped out of the teen’s hand by someone behind him. He turned round to find Logan standing there with a livid expression on his face. Logan folded the paper up and placed it in his back pocket.

“Leave him alone, Lennox.” Logan hissed with narrow eyes.

“What’s the matter, Valence?” Lennox challenged. “He your new boyfriend or something?”

“No.” Logan shook his head. This wasn’t the first time he had dealt with the school bully.

“Bet he is.” Lennox continued in a mocking tone. “Bet you want his ass. You do, don’t you?”

“What’s wrong? Are you frustrated because you can’t even get with the school sluts?” Logan shot back with a smirk. “Can’t get it up or is it just too small?”

“What?!” Lennox exclaimed, squaring up to Logan as his friends backed him up.

“Don’t you have a family to bore?” Logan remarked. “So why don’t you fuck off?”

“At least I have a family.” Lennox shot back quickly.

Dick, who had been quietly watching the heated exchange was surprised by just how fast Logan had been. He was sure that even when on patrol as Robin he wouldn’t have been able to avoid the quick movement. Logan’s hands had darted forward and had grabbed Lennox by the collar tightly, pulling him close to his face.

“Say that again and I swear you’ll be eating through a straw.” Logan growled venomously.

Lennox seemed to lose his nerve as he went completely silent, his own hands gripping weakly onto Logan’s. With silence being the answer, Logan let Lennox go and pushed him back against his friends. With one intense glare he challenged any of them to fight him but none of them took it. As they walked off, Logan sat back down at the table and handed Dick his mathematics notes back.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Dick told him as he placed his notes back in his bag. “I could have handled it.”

Logan snorted. “No offence, Dick, but I doubt it. Someone your size against the four of them?”

“I can handle myself.” Dick argued, knowing fine well none of them would have landed a hit on him.

“You come from the palisades, Dick.” Logan continued. “I’ve grown up on the streets of Red Hook. I’ve been in that situation hundreds of times.”

Dick sighed and shrugged. He knew he wasn’t going to win the argument so he just accepted the other teen’s confidence. Though he knew he could have taken care of the four bullies easily, he did appreciate Logan dealing with them. He wasn’t used to being rescued or defended. He was Robin, he did the defending and rescuing.

“Thanks.” Dick finally stated, realising he hadn’t yet expressed his gratitude.

“Hey, what are friends for?” Logan asked rhetorically as he took a swig of his drink.

An abrupt beeping sounded from Dick’s pocket. He pulled out his iPhone to find a new text had been received from Bruce’s number. He couldn’t help but smile when he read it.

**Alfred will pick you up. We have plans tonight.**

Dick knew exactly what plans they would be. Bruce had intentionally worded it vaguely so no one would understand anything they shouldn’t. After Logan’s warning about phones in class, Dick could understand why that would be a potential problem.

“Text from the girlfriend by any chance?” Logan questioned, causing Dick to snap his head up. “That’s quite a smile that crossed your face.”

“Oh, no. I’m single.” Dick explained with a quick shake of his head. “Just got some good news from home.”

“Ah, I see.” Logan commented. “Hey, why don’t we hang out after school? I know a few fun places we can go.”

Dick shook his head, his heart falling at having to decline. “Sorry but I’m expected back home this evening. I can’t.”

Logan was quick to hide the disappointment that crossed his face. “Well, at least give me your number so we can text and stuff?”

“Sure.” Dick answered happily and recited his phone number to the other teen.

“Awesome.” Logan remarked as he saved Dick as a contact. “I get bored sometimes so at least we’ll be able to chat now and again.”

As if recognising the good mood both boys were in and finding it distasteful, the school bell sounded loudly throughout the building. It was time for class to continue, earning a groan of disappointment from both of them.

 

Three hours later and Dick’s first school day had come to an end. He waved Logan goodbye at the gates before getting back into the Bentley Mulsanne that Alfred had chosen for that day. He dumped his bag on the seat next to him and rested his head against the back of the leather seat, relieved to finally be out of the school. It had been a boring day with the only excitement coming in the form of the bullies and his new friend.

“How was the first day, Master Dick?” Alfred asked as he pulled away from the school.

“Boring.” Dick sighed, finding himself surprisingly tired.

“No problems I hope?” Alfred questioned, wanting to be sure.

Dick considered mentioning the bullies but decided against it. “No problems. Just a slow day.”

“Glad to hear it, Master Dick.” Alfred commented with a smile.

After two more minutes of silent driving, Dick’s phone buzzed and beeped as he received a new text message. He quickly opened it and smiled when he saw the sender was Logan.

**Hope I made your first day bearable. We should hang out some time.** **J**

Dick quickly texted back his response, unable to remove the smile on his face as he did so. His smile didn’t go unnoticed, as Alfred spotted it when he glanced up at the rear view mirror. The butler hadn’t seen Dick smile like that in quite some time and it was a pleasant sight to see.

“Already acquired the number of a lovely lady have we, Master Dick?” Alfred teased.

Dick’s eyes shot up at the butler as he placed his phone down on the seat defensively. “No, no! I made a friend today so we traded our numbers.”

“I’m pleased for you.” Alfred commented. “Master Bruce will be thrilled that you’ve made a friend on the first day.”

Dick smiled, glad that Alfred had reacted positively to the news. He knew Bruce would have mixed feelings because of their secret double lives but making friends was part of the reason for going to school in the first place. He would ask Bruce about hanging out with Logan when they returned to the manor.

 

Logan pulled the collars of his blazer closer to his neck as the cool air brushed his skin. It was always a depressing walk home after every school day but he knew it wouldn’t be like this forever. Cars shot past him on the road as he walked on the edge of the pavement, doing his best to avoid the bustling crowds of people going about their daily lives. Office buildings, apartment blocks and other buildings surrounded him like a concrete jungle.

When his phone buzzed he quickly took it out of his pocket. He was still in the good side of Gotham for the time being and could afford to have his phone on display. Logan couldn’t help but smile at the text he had received from Dick.

**You did more than that! I promise we’ll hang out soon!** **J**

Logan had almost forgotten what it felt like to make others happy. The warmth that spread through him as he realised he made what was a very daunting day for Dick a rather enjoyable one. He figured it was because Dick came across as a normal guy and wasn’t posh or arrogant because he lived in the palisades. There were similarities between them that made him feel comfortable around the shorter teen. He hoped Dick didn’t end up like the others.

The harsh shouts of a domestic dispute brought him out of his thoughts momentarily. He had quickly crossed into the lower end of Red Hook where it was no longer safe to have his phone out. Logan slipped it back into his pocket and kicked an empty take-away bag out of his way. On the dark walls above him, outside stairwells caused a subtle rainfall of rust to fall onto the dirty street below. The smell of alcohol wafted from the graffiti covered alleyways as he briskly walked past them, never knowing what kind of person lurked just out of view.

It didn’t take long for his suspicions to be confirmed. He heard some men shouting angrily, followed by a couple cries of pain before the sudden, unmistakable bang of a gunshot. Logan approached the alley the noise had come from just as two men in leather jackets ran out onto the street at full speed. He walked down the alley and found the third man who lay behind a dumpster, badly beaten and bleeding from the bullet wound in his abdomen. The blood was already forming a small pool beneath his crumpled form.

Logan quickly kneeled down to help the man, taking off his blazer and pressing it down on the man’s abdomen to help stop the bleeding. He held it down to keep the pressure there, much to the painful discomfort of the man. The man was middle aged, evidenced by his greying hair and goatee. Their eyes met but he could tell the man was in some form of shock after the beating and the shooting.

“Don’t worry, I’m here to help.” Logan assured him. “What’s your name?”

“Jim…” The man stuttered out in pain.

“Okay, Jim. I’m Logan.” Logan replied as he looked around, knowing that no one was coming. “Do you have a phone, Jim?”

The older man nodded. “Jacket. Left pocket.”

Logan continued to apply pressure with one hand as he reached into the man’s pocket with the other. He retrieved the mobile phone and quickly dialled 911. When the emergency services answered, he quickly explained the situation and where they were. He returned the phone to Jim’s pocket and continued to apply pressure. When he heard the sirens approach and the ambulance and police cars pull up just outside the alleyway, Logan quickly ran off with his blazer in his hands. The paramedics could help Jim from this point on.

 

Dick had settled back at the manor, leaving his bag in his bedroom and having something to eat in the smaller dining hall. One of the things he appreciated most was the preparations Alfred made every day. The whole mansion was always spotless, all the laundry was always neatly folded away and food was always on hand should anyone feel hungry. Dick was convinced Alfred was the actual superhero of the house, considering he was able to get everything done and still be there when called or needed.

It didn’t take long, of course, before Bruce had beckoned Dick down to the cave. It would be the first night in several days that he was being allowed to go out as Robin again. The pair made their way through to Bruce’s study and opened the secret entrance behind the grandfather clock so they could descend down the dark, narrow staircase into the Batcave.

“So, how was school?” Bruce asked as they descended the concrete steps.

“A little boring but I made a friend at least.” Dick replied, his voice echoing along with his footsteps.

“That’s a good start.” Bruce commented as the squeaks of bats reached their ears. “What’s his name?”

“Logan Valence, he’s from Red Hook.” Dick explained as they entered the cave.

Bruce didn’t say anything right away as he waited for all the cave’s systems to come online. The lights flickered on and the computer came to life, displaying a large bat symbol on the huge screen while the platform for the batmobile rose up until it was level with the runway. Bruce headed over to the computer and typed a code into it before smirking at Dick.

“You’re smirking.” Dick commented as he stared up at the man with narrow eyes. “That’s either really good or really bad for me.”

“Follow me.” Bruce commanded in response.

Dick did as he was told and followed the billionaire down a small steel staircase to where the suits were kept. Bruce played his palm on a circular device on the wall that lit up as it read his fingerprints. The wall opened up to reveal the black batsuit.

“Open yours.” Bruce told him. “I have something for you.”

Dick felt his heart pounding in his chest with excitement. It was rare for Bruce to present him with gifts outside of birthdays and Christmas. He placed his hand on the second circular device and waited for it to recognise his fingerprints before pulling his hand away. The wall opened and Dick’s eyes widened at what he saw.

His regular Robin suit had disappeared from the storage casing. In its place sat the new suit that Bruce had received from Lucius Fox earlier that day. Dick’s eyes scanned the suit intently, taking in every detail as his heart continued to pound and his lips contorted into a grin. The new suit’s black boots covered his shins and the black gloves now had the same scallops attached to the gauntlets as Batman’s own suit. The suit also looked more comfortable with an obvious Kevlar bodysuit underneath the armoured plates that protected the most important body parts without restricting movement. The colouration was to Dick’s liking, a black bodysuit with dark green armour plates protecting the arms and legs while the torso was protected by crimson plates. Replacing the yellow R he used to have as his logo was a large black Robin symbol similar to the bat symbol on the batsuit.

Dick’s eyes continued to scan further up the suit while Bruce stood silently, his arms crossed as he let his ward inspect his new suit. The teenager noticed the neck guard was a similar design to the batsuit’s own. The black cape flowed out from the bottom of the neck guard in line with the shoulders and had identical proportions to Batman’s own cape. Dick quickly noticed one of the biggest differences was the mask which had altered the traditional domino mask into something more armoured and less revealing. The face and ears were now covered and protected while an optional helmet was available. He could choose between the helmet or the hood attachment on the cape.  

“Just like my suit, it has built in temperature regulators and stealth technology.” Bruce explained, finally breaking the silence. “The earpiece on the mask has a built-in radio and I’ve upgraded the lenses to incorporate the latest Detective vision system.”

“Is this why you stopped me going out the past few nights?” Dick questioned, gently touching the armoured plating.

“The reasons I gave you before were genuine.” Bruce explained. “But Fox only finished the suit today.”

“What other upgrades does it have?” Dick asked excitedly. It felt like Christmas, this new suit was mature. Adult.

“The mask has the same security features as my own and the cape is the same material.” Bruce continued. “Your right gauntlet is also linked directly with the computer.”

“Why’s the mask so radically different?” Dick questioned, though his tone revealed that he wasn’t complaining.

“Now that you’re at school, there’s a higher chance of you being recognised.” Bruce answered.

“It’s amazing, really.” Dick stated approvingly. “Thanks so much, Bruce. I know how long it takes for Mr. Fox to make these.”

“You can thank him in person next week.” Bruce commented, giving a rare smile. “So, why don’t you try it on and make sure it is up to expectation.”

“We’re still going out tonight, right?” Dick questioned quickly as he lifted the suit out of the case.

“Of course.” Bruce answered as he sat down at the large computer. “Last night I convinced a thug to give me the name of his boss.”

“So we’ve got the guy who’s flooding drugs into Gotham?” Dick asked as he started suiting up.

“Phillip Blake, known on the streets as The Governor.” Bruce explained as he brought up a police profile on the screen. “He’s been linked to at least three armed robberies and five homicides. Usually operates outside of Gotham.”

“He’s gonna wish he stayed out of Gotham when we pay him a visit tonight.” Dick remarked with a sadistic smirk as he put on his new mask for the first time.

 

Logan shivered from the cold wind that attacked his skin through his shirt. He couldn’t wear his blazer now that it was soaked with blood. He made sure to fold it up to hide the crimson shade that was at war with the navy blue fabric. The rusty iron gate in front of him creaked loudly in the wind as he walked through it and entered the courtyard of the Pinkney Youth Hostel. Logan had been living there for almost a year and had so far managed to keep it a secret from everyone at school.

The front door of the building groaned as he pushed it open and walked through it, letting it close behind him with a loud slam. He entered the main foyer and took a moment to appreciate the sensation of the warm air caressing his skin. The hostel may have been old and in serious need of repair and redecorating, given that the paint was peeling off the walls and some aspects of the electricity and plumbing were faulty, but Logan appreciated it all the same. It had a warmth about it, a welcoming atmosphere that ensured you wouldn’t be judged on who you were or what your circumstances were.

“There you are, Logan.” An old woman’s voice called from behind the front desk. “I was wondering where you had gotten to.”

Standing behind the reception desk was an elderly woman. Her grey hair was rapidly turning white, something that the bun she tied it up in could never hide. Her reading glasses were perched on the end of her nose with a small chain attached to them so she wouldn’t lose them. She dressed smartly in a grey cardigan and long black dress.

“Sorry for worrying you, Mary.” Logan replied with a sincere tone. “I was helping someone.”

“Of course you were, you’ve always been such a kind young man.” Mary responded with a warm smile.

“So you keep saying.” Logan commented with a shake of his head.

“If you need me, you know where to find me.” Mary told him, as if she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole story.

“Thanks, Mary.” Logan responded as he made his way to the staircase.

It didn’t take long for Logan to ascend the stairs to the third floor of the hostel. He stayed in the room at the far end of the corridor, one of the few that looked out onto the Gotham River. He often enjoyed watching the boats go by, especially the tour boat for tourists and Gothamites alike. Though he often questioned why tourists would come to Gotham of all places apart from the shallow hope of catching sight of the Batman.

He closed the door behind him and allowed himself to slump against it, finally letting go of his defences, his confident, happy persona he put on for the rest of the world. Logan let out a loud sigh as his shoulders dropped, the tension falling out of them as he let his eyes fall shut for a moment. It had been an eventful day to say the least and there was more still to do before the night was over. Logan found his thoughts going to Dick, the first friend he had made in a long time.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile in about six months.” A male voice sounded from the other side of the room.

Logan opened his eyes and scanned the room. The wooden floor seemed to date the building as much as the antiquated paint did. The room itself was spacious with a television to the left side and a bunk bed to the right. Sitting on the top bunk with his legs dangling over the side was Logan’s roommate, Louis.

Louis was a year older than Logan, a fact that was made obvious by his facial hair. Louis always had a very scruffy appearance, he rarely shaved or cut his hair, let alone style it. He almost always wore a tracksuit and was never up to much good when he went out. Despite these flaws, he was an honest and loyal friend to Logan and was the only person he had trusted since he came to the hostel.

“What happened?” Louis continued when he didn’t receive an immediate answer. “Get a girlfriend or something?”

“No. Just had a good day.” Logan replied as he walked over and sat on one of the chairs.

“Is that why you’ve got blood on your blazer?” Louis questioned. “Who did you fight this time?”

Logan shook his head. “I helped a guy who got shot, that’s all and before you ask I left before the police got there.”

“So, what good thing happened to have you smiling?” Louis pressed the question with narrow eyes.

“I made a friend, okay?” Logan confessed with an exasperated sigh. “One of the few people in the world I just seem to click with.”

“Until they find out about your part time job.” Louis remarked with a cynical shrug.

“He won’t.” Logan snapped quickly. “Besides, I won’t be working much longer.”

“You’ve been working for him for eight months now.” Louis countered. “It could be another eight for all you know.”

Logan shook his head dismissively. “No. The end is nigh.”

Louis knew when Logan was looking to end a conversation and took the hint. He slumped back on his bed and continued reading a book he always had with him while Logan stared out the window. The end was coming very soon.

 

Batman and Robin looked down at the men in the warehouse. They had silently entered via the skylight five minutes before and were now crouched on one of the roof’s steel support beams. They surveyed the situation. The warehouse had several vans that were being used to transport the drugs with around fifteen men all working to load them up. All the men were known to GCPD for previous offences, assault, drug dealing and armed robbery were the most common crimes. The usual for the underbelly of Gotham.

Robin smirked under his hood as he surveyed the room with the updated Detective vision system that had been installed in the lenses of his new mask. The dark blue hue was easy on the eyes and highlighted firearms in orange. He wasn’t sure if it had been Bruce or Lucius who had designed the system but it was very well made regardless.

In the centre of the warehouse, barking orders impatiently, was Phillip Blake, also known as the Governor. He was a tall man with messy black hair, dark blue jeans, a black motorcycle jacket and a black eyepatch like that of a pirate. As he barked orders he waved a Desert Eagle around in his right hand, threatening to shoot anyone who didn’t do their job the way he wanted them to.

Batman didn’t look away as he whispered. “On the count of three.”

Robin didn’t respond, he didn’t need to. Their teamwork was on an almost psychic level, requiring very little communication. He counted the seconds in his head. On the count of two, the lights to the building shut off due to Batman’s EMP device. On the count of three, Batman tossed a small smoke grenade down onto the floor to further blind and confuse the men. The two caped crusaders immediately dropped down onto the warehouse floor, each of them landing on one of the men to break their falls.

The men in the warehouse shouted in confusion as they tried to clear the smoke by waving the arms while others turned on flashlights in the hopes of catching sight of what was attacking them. The first man to turn a flashlight on screamed in terror as the bat symbol on Batman’s chest was illuminated by the light before he received a solid fist to the side of the head, striking his temple and knocking him out cold. Batman moved swiftly through the dissipating smoke as he knocked out as many of the armed gunmen as possible.

Robin was on the other side of the warehouse doing the same thing. Due to his younger age and smaller stature, he relied more heavily on judo throws, kicks and his two escrima sticks to deliver stronger blows to his opponents. With so many armed men in one room, he couldn’t afford to be reckless and didn’t want to explain any bullet wounds to his classmates at school. The final thug on his side of the room aimed his gun but Robin knocked it out of his hand with one of his escrima sticks before slamming the other into the man’s temple.

Robin’s Detective vision informed him that the only firearm still in use was the Governor’s desert eagle. Gunshots suddenly rang out in the darkness as Blake fired blindly in the hopes of getting lucky. Robin quickly grappled up onto the support beam again so he was out of harm’s way. He watched as Batman snuck up behind him in the darkness and waited for his moment. The light slowly flickered back on as Batman turned off the EMP, revealing the warehouse floor to be full of unconscious men.

“Where are you?!” Blake shouted angrily, constantly moving his aim.

“Here.” Batman growled from behind him.

The Governor spun round and tried to shoot Batman but the Dark Knight grabbed his wrist and twisted it, breaking it with a loud crack and a sudden yelp of pain from the other man. The desert eagle dropped to the floor before Batman used his other hand to grab Blake by the throat and slam him against one of the vans. He glared at the man through his white lenses as Robin dropped back down from the support beam.

“You’re the scumbag spreading drugs through Gotham.” Batman hissed. “I want the name of your supplier.”

“I don’t know his name.” Blake coughed out as Batman tightened his grip.

Batman grabbed Phillip’s broken wrist and squeezed it tightly as he growled. “Do not lie to me.”

“I’m not!” Blake gasped out. “This isn’t my operation!”

Batman twisted his wrist, breaking it a second time and causing the man to cry out in pain.

“Last night one of your men told me different.” Batman informed him.

“I run the warehouses but it’s not my operation!” Blake explained rapidly through pained gasps.

Batman narrowed his eyes. The young man he had interrogated on the rooftop the night before had lied to him. He wasn’t really working for the Governor, they were both working for someone else. He would have to stay true to his word and find the young man again to teach him never to lie to the Batman. He threw Blake down on the floor and slammed his foot down on his head when he turned to his side. The man groaned as the pressure was applied to the side of his head. He wasn’t sure which was more solid, Batman’s boot or the cold floor.

“Who are you working for?” Batman snarled. “Lie to me and I’ll break your spine.”

Robin crouched down next to Blake’s head. “I’d tell the truth if I were you. The last guy who lied to him still hasn’t learned how to walk again.”

Blake’s eyes widened in terror. Batman’s threat obviously wasn’t a bluff. “Black Mask! I’m working for Black Mask!”

“What’s the operation schedule?” Batman questioned, more relaxed though his tone was still threatening.

“Every night a boat brings in a new supply to a different dock in Gotham!” Blake explained between laboured breaths. “They alternate between the eastern and western docks each night so the coast guard doesn’t notice!”

“Thank you.” Batman stated as he lifted his boot off Blake’s head.

As soon as Blake looked up, one of Robin’s escrima sticks slammed into his forehead and knocked him unconscious. Batman now understood why the young man had lied. Black Mask would kill anyone who conspired against him in an instant. He had lied out of fear. Batman sent an anonymous message to GCPD so they could send patrol cars to pick up the unconscious men. He turned to Robin as they both stared at one another. They knew they were in for a long couple weeks as they would have to break up the operation one delivery at a time.

“So, what now?” Robin asked as he slotted his escrima sticks back into the back of his utility belt.

“We go home.” Batman answered. “I’ll look over the shipping plans in the cave.”

“We’ve only been out a few hours though.” Robin argued, somewhat confused by his mentor’s decision.

“And you still have school in the morning.” Batman countered.

Robin sighed and decided not to respond. This was one argument he wouldn’t win but for once he didn’t feel too bad about that. He had one good thing to look forward to at school; seeing his new friend. Maybe less time as Robin to allow for more time as a happy Dick Grayson wasn’t such a bad thing.

 

**Okay, so this story is a break away from the usual things I write. It is also my first ever Batman story, so hopefully I’m sticking true to the feel of the characters and such.**

**This is a story that came to me the other day, pretty much from start to finish as well. I have the entire story planned out so I know exactly where it is going. One thing I hope to focus on is Gotham City as its own character and what it is like to live in the city.**

**I hope that my custom character of Logan Valence is of interest to you all. He has some dark secrets that you’re going to love, I’m sure.**

**Please be kind enough to leave a review/comment if you liked this first chapter. If you didn’t like it, you can still let me know so long as you do so in a civil manner. I’m always willing to take in constructive criticism. ^^**

 

 

 


	2. Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is invited to Wayne Manor to spend the afternoon. In his first meeting with Bruce Wayne, Bruce manages to recognise him but isn't sure where from. Will his previous encounter with the Batman destroy his friendship with Dick just as it begins?

 

The loud clash of wooden sticks echoed against the dark, rocky walls of the Batcave. Bruce and Dick were practicing bojutsu together in the training area, both of them wielding long wooden staffs that were used as weapons. The sticks clashed together rapidly as the two martial artists did their best to overpower the other, with a greater focus being placed on Dick’s ability to defend himself from Bruce’s strikes and strike Bruce with his own attacks.

Above them, bats shrieked as their sleep was disturbed by the noise, flapping their wings violently as they sought a quieter corner of the cave. Dick grit his teeth as he twirled and angled the bō to avoid his mentor’s attacks. Bruce was being more aggressive than normal in their training session but Dick knew it was just a subconscious vent for his previous irritation. They had been arguing on and off for days so it only made sense for Bruce to have some pent up frustration at his ward.

“So, how was the first day of school?” Bruce asked him calmly as he continued to jab and strike with his own stick.

Dick breathed heavily as he continued to knock Bruce’s strikes away. “Pretty good, I guess. Boring though.”

“Anything of interest?” Bruce continued to question him, performing a sudden overhead strike.

Dick quickly thrust his stick up at a perpendicular angle and blocked the strike. “I made a friend, I think.”

“Just remember to focus on your studies.” Bruce reminded him with the authority of a parent.

“I can focus on more than one thing at a time, Bruce.” Dick retorted, irritation lining his tone. They had already had this conversation.

“Are you sure?” Bruce challenged, still striking at him with the staff.

Dick continued to block and deflect the strikes. “Yeah!”

Bruce smirked for a fleeting moment before focusing on his attacks. He swung and angled his strikes with greater speed and precision, forcing Dick to work twice as hard to avoid being hit. As the clanging of the wooden sticks continued, Bruce edged his way forward a few steps before swinging the base of the staff at a low angle. The strike slipped behind Dick’s ankle and knocked him off balance, sending him stumbling back before Bruce thrust his bō into Dick’s chest and knocked the teenager onto his back.

“Yield.” Bruce stated in victory as he stood over his ward.

Dick slammed his fist into the padded matt below him. “Why can’t I beat you?”

Bruce smiled and offered his hand out for Dick to take. “Because you’ve still got a lot to learn.”

Dick sighed as he grabbed onto Bruce’s hand before being pulled to his feet. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s true.” Bruce answered, tossing a towel at the teen. “You’ll beat me one day, I’m sure of it.”

Dick wiped the sweat from his brow with the towel as Bruce walked over to the computer. With a couple quick key strokes he pulled up the GCN channel, Gotham City News. The familiar face of the blonde haired reporter, Vicki Vale was soon on the screen. She stood in one of Gotham’s less privileged areas. Bruce and Dick immediately recognised it as Red Hook. On the screen beside her were photos of a family along with pictures of the crime scene in an alleyway.

“…Jim’s family are appealing to the young man who saved his life earlier today.” Vale reported.

The screen changed to show a woman, soon labelled as Jim’s wife, pleading with tears in her eyes. “If not for the heroic actions of this young man, my husband wouldn’t be here right now. He was given a second chance by a complete stranger and we urge him to come forward so we can repay him.”

The screen returned to Vicki. “Jim Clarke was on his way home when he was mugged in the alley behind me. During the scuffle, Jim was shot. This would have proven fatal had an unidentified young man not come to his rescue.”

Next to her on the screen, a police sketch artist’s impression of the heroic young man appeared on the screen. The man appeared to be between sixteen and twenty with messy black hair but the other features were not very distinct. Blood loss and shock had prevented the injured man from remembering the face of his saviour very well.

“The young man, pictured here by a police sketch artist, reportedly wore clothes similar to that of Dini Academy’s standard student uniform.” Vicki Vale continued. “If anyone at the school recognises this young man, Jim’s family would be eternally grateful to anyone who helped identify him.”

Bruce turned off the news with a single stroke of the keyboard. “Any idea who it is?”

Dick shrugged. “No, the sketch wasn’t that good though. At least it was good news for a change.”

“Hardly.” Bruce grunted cynically. “A man was shot.”

“It’s Gotham, Bruce.” Dick replied with a sigh. “These things happen and we can’t be everywhere.”

Bruce was about to answer but was interrupted by the soft thuds of footsteps on the staircase that echoed around them. Alfred descended the steps and entered the cave, his hands tucked behind his back in his regular yet professional posture.

“Pardon me for interrupting, Master Bruce.” Alfred began. “But I suggest it is time for Master Grayson to retire for the night. He does have school in the morning.”

“It’s fine, Alfred.” Bruce replied. “We’re done for the night.”

Dick looked at Bruce before sighing. “Yeah, we’re done.”

“Excellent. I recommend taking a quick shower as well, Master Dick.” Alfred continued as he ascended the stairs with the teen. “When you’re done, you shall find a mug of hot chocolate by your bedside.”

Dick couldn’t help but smile. Alfred always did have a knack for ending things on a positive note. “That would be great, thanks Alfred.”

 

The rain lashed down, bouncing off the concrete and soaking into the wooden piers at the docks. The thick rain clouds hid the moon from view, casting the night into further darkness. The night was made darker by the lack of working lights at the McKenzie Docks, most of the street lamps having been shot out by gunfire some time ago.

Logan’s black boots thudded against the sodden wooden panels of the pier that had almost turned black from the rain. He carefully carried a heavy cardboard box along the pier, the cardboard not holding up well to the constant rainfall. He cursed under his breath as his black cargos, black leather jacket and black balaclava did nothing to keep the water from finding its way onto his skin. His gloves had been soaked through some time ago and the only reason he hadn’t just taken them off was because they were too wet to actually come off.

The young man huffed as he set the box down in the back of an unmarked white truck. There was at least two dozen boxes already in the back of the truck but there were many more still to load up. The boat that had delivered the boxes of drugs bobbed up and down in the water at the end of the pier, held in place by a loosely tied rope. If the police or the Batman showed up, the captain was ready to leave in seconds.

“Did you hear?” One of the other men spoke up. “The Bat got to the Governor!”

“I heard someone ratted him out!” Another thug added as they loaded up some more boxes.

The first thug snorted. “Man, I’d hate to be that guy. Black Mask must be furious.”

“He is.” The second thug responded. “Says he’s gonna cut the guy’s tongue out when he finds him.”

“What about the Governor?” A third man questioned. “You think he talked?”

“Doesn’t matter if he did or not.” The second thug replied with a sinister tone. “Black Mask is gonna take care of it.”

Logan grimaced as he closed his eyes for a moment. Black Mask. He was one of the biggest crime lords in Gotham. His real name was common knowledge, Roman Sionis, owner of Sionis Industries, came from a wealthy background before turning his hand to organised crime. He was a man to be feared, a legend amongst mobsters and one of the most brutal and merciless men in Gotham.

As far as Logan knew, Roman Sionis carved his black skull mask out of the wood from his father’s coffin in order to look more intimidating. However, during a skirmish with the Batman, the mask ended up burned onto his face, never to be removed. He was tough, too. Sionis was known for his marksmanship and excellent skills in hand to hand combat. He was not a man to be messed with and he paid his men well when he wasn’t killing them.

Logan clenched his fist, the cold rainwater being squeezed out of the fabric so that it could drip onto the concrete below. He didn’t care how big and scary Black Mask was. The mafia boss was going to die for what he had done, for all the people he had hurt and the lives he had ruined. Logan had made it his personal mission in life and he was getting closer and closer to the finishing line.

“GCPD!” A man’s voice aggressively called out. “Hands in the air!”

Logan was violently woken from his thoughts as the police officer made his entrance. He had stumbled onto their operation, probably by accident and was now trying to take everyone down. Most of Black Mask’s men stood where they were, aiming their guns at the officer. Logan knew if gunfire erupted they could attract the attention of the Bat and his mission would be over.

He quietly made his way round the other side of the truck and snuck up behind the officer. Just as the cop was about to radio for back up, Logan grabbed his head and shoulder and slammed him into the side of the truck. The police officer collapsed to the ground in a dizzied daze while Logan quickly grabbed his Smith & Wesson M&P handgun from the ground.

“Nice work, Valence!” One of the men called out. “Now finish him off!”

Logan aimed the gun at the officer’s face, watching as the older man stared up at him. His eyes pleaded for mercy as his whole body shook with fear. The officer knew he was going to die in a few moments and he wasn’t prepared for it. Logan glanced at the thugs to his left. They were all waiting for him to pull the trigger with the same excitement as children on Christmas day.

“Not yet!” Logan called back. “Black Mask doesn’t want any more loose ends!”

The men seemed confused as Logan bent down and took the officer’s handcuffs off his belt. He forced the older man to his feet and slammed his face up against the side of the truck so he could handcuff the officer behind his back. Logan pulled the man away from the truck and held onto his shoulder while pressing the barrel of the gun against his back.

“A watery grave is better.” Logan told the thugs as he marched the officer past them.

“That’s my favourite!” One of the thugs cried. “Nice thinking, man.”

“Please! You don’t have to do this!” The officer pleaded as Logan led him onto the pier.

“Shut up!” Logan barked and pushed him ahead, moving past the last of Black Mask’s men.

There was silence between them as they slowly walked along the wooden pier, their footsteps thudding unevenly beneath them as Black Mask’s men went back to work. They had a schedule to keep. Logan could hear the officer stuttering out a prayer, obviously trying to make peace with the Almighty before he met his end.

“Do you have a family, officer?” Logan asked him as they walked, sliding his hand off his shoulder and down his back.

“Um…yes….” The officer stuttered out in confusion. “I have a wife and a little girl.”

“What age is your little girl?” Logan asked as they continued to walk, his hand gently prying open one of the officer’s clenched fists.

“She’s turning twelve tomorrow.” The officer replied with a shaky voice, tears rolling down his face. “Please don’t do this!”

“Shut up!” Logan barked as he slipped the key for the handcuffs into the man’s hand. “If you want to see your family again, do exactly as I say.”

The officer swallowed heavily as he felt panic course through him. This wasn’t what he had expected to happen. He nodded quickly.

“When I pull the trigger, you’re going to fall into the water. Get under the pier and free yourself.” Logan told him quickly as they approached the end of the pier. “Hide under there until we’re gone. If you’re quiet they won’t notice you, these goons can’t find their own reflections in a mirror.”

“Okay! Thank you!” The officer replied quickly, overwhelmed by the flood of emotion as he realised he was going to live. “What’s your name?”

“Tell Gordon and the Bat to stay out of this.” Logan demanded as he angled the gun away from the officer’s body.

Logan pulled the trigger, firing the gun with the bullet tearing through the officer’s shirt and skimming the skin on the side of his abdomen. At the same time, the teen pushed the older man off the pier and watched as he fell into the dark water and disappeared as planned. He turned back to the docks, feeling all the eyes on him. Black Mask’s men had bought the show, they truly believed he had shot and killed the police officer. He smiled in relief under the balaclava before tossing the gun into the water as well, there was nothing suspicious about dumping the murder weapon in the East River.

Logan made his way back along the drenched pier. He was thankful for the torrential rain as the noise of it drowned out any suspicious sounds beneath their feet. The thugs had seen his loyalty to their operation. As far as they knew, he had just killed a cop and dumped his body in the river for them. This proved he was one of them and that he wasn’t the one who had talked to the Batman. This was how he wanted it. This was how he needed it to be. He let out a shaky breath as he relaxed and got back to work.

 

Dick sat back in the dining room chair and closed his eyes as he savoured the taste of his morning coffee. He was tired from the night before and wouldn’t have argued at the idea of sleeping in. Unfortunately, Alfred was an expert at waking people and getting them out of bed, a skill the old butler had practiced for decades.

“Now, now, Master Dick.” Alfred’s voice penetrated his ears like a needle. “There will be time to sleep in the afternoon.”

“I wasn’t sleeping, Alfred.” Dick groaned as he sat up and drank more of his coffee, begging the caffeine to waken him.

“Perhaps not, though I believe it is safe to say you were but mere moments away from doing so.” Alfred countered quickly.

“So what if I fell asleep for a few minutes?” Dick challenged with a lazy shrug. “It’s not like I’m gonna be late.”

“Had you fallen asleep you may have knocked over what remains of your coffee.” Alfred quipped. “And I shudder to think what would have bothered me more, treating your burns or washing your uniform again.”

“Very funny, Alfred.” Dick retorted with a false laugh.

“I find nothing amusing about burns or coffee stains, young sir.” Alfred shot back sarcastically.

“Morning.” Bruce’s deep voice boomed as he entered the dining hall and sat in his usual place.

Both Alfred and Dick greeted Bruce good morning while the butler poured his coffee and served his breakfast tray to him. The dining hall fell silent as everyone kept to themselves for a few minutes, Bruce read the paper as per his morning ritual while Dick scrolled through things on his phone. He looked over his schedule for the day and wondered what the day ahead would bring.

School was still daunting to him. Though it was nothing like the horrors that Robin would often face, it was daunting in a totally different way. It was a new environment filled with strangers and he felt exposed. He wasn’t Robin at school, he was Dick Grayson and though he wouldn’t admit it, he was struggling to work out who that was.

It was one of the things he admired the most about Bruce. The billionaire’s ability to switch from one mask to another, be it Batman to Bruce Wayne or Bruce Wayne business man to Bruce Wayne careless playboy. It seemed to be perfectly natural for the man to swap personalities in response to the situation he found himself in, it was like another of his highly developed muscles.

Dick sighed, this was something he wasn’t so good at. In the Manor, he was always himself, his real self. The orphaned acrobat who has dedicated his life to being Robin, the boy wonder and partner of the infamous Batman. The only mask he ever needed to put on was at the various parties Bruce would often host or have to attend. That mask was easy to put on, just act like a quiet young member of the top one percent of the population. The reserved rich kid act was easy.

School involved the creation of a new personality, the dawning of a new mask and he found himself conflicted. Dick knew he couldn’t be his true self in front of so many people, he didn’t know them or trust them enough to even see a glimpse of his real self. On the other hand, his new and fairly instant friendship with Logan Valence had put this to the test because he didn’t want to lie to his only friend. He had to find the middle ground somehow.

“Is something the matter, Master Dick?” Alfred inquired.

Dick broke away from his thoughts to find Bruce and Alfred staring at him in concern. They had obviously been trying to get his attention but to no avail. The morning was proving to be a difficult one already.

“No, Alfred, I’m fine.” Dick replied, though the silence meant he hadn’t been believed. “Bruce, I was wondering if I could hang out with my friend after school.”

“Of course you can.” Bruce replied after a brief moment of thought.

“Thanks!” Dick replied, energy returning to his body for the first time that morning. “I’ll keep my phone on at all times.”

“You can bring him here.” Bruce finished. It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a demand. “I’d like to meet him.”

“Okay, but he’s not a bad guy.” Dick accepted with a sigh. “I can tell the good people from the bad.”

“So can I.” Bruce answered, the corner of his mouth curving into a smirk. “Besides, it’ll give you someone to play some of those videogames with.”

 

_He tried to move his arms but found himself paralysed. Lifting his head just enough to look down at his body he realised he was strapped to a gurney, his legs, arms and body all strapped down to prevent any movement. The dark grey walls of the corridor shot by around him as if he was speeding down a tunnel._

_The more he focused on the blurry grey walls the quicker he realised there was writing scrawled all over them. The lights above him were painfully bright as they passed rapidly overhead. Orders were being barked by the people in white coats, they people who had tied him down like this._

_A sudden, piercing scream echoed through the hallways of the building followed by the most maniacal laughter he had ever heard. The laughter was intense, filled with sadism and devoid of sanity. He could barely make out the words on the doorway before he passed through it into Intensive Treatment._

_When the gurney stopped its speeding journey down the corridors, he was given time to look around. He could still hear the same horrific laughter bouncing off distance halls as the people in white coats dispersed and left the room. He fought with his restraints some more but only succeeded in hurting himself when the leather straps dug into his flesh._

_From out of nowhere, a tall man peered over him. He was bald with a distinctly large nose and a dark brown beard that seemed to hang off his jawline. The man glared at him through small coke-bottle glasses that sat below a set of bushy eyebrows. The man had a frightening glint in his eye as he pulled out a syringe with some unknown liquid and injected it into his arm._

Logan shot up in bed, throwing the covers off his naked torso as cold sweat dripped down his face. His breathing came in rasps as he slowly came to his senses and acknowledged the reality around him. He was in his bed. He was in the hostel. He wasn’t in Arkham Asylum. The strange doctor wasn’t looming over him. Louis was. Logan stared at Louis for a few moments, nothing the other boy was saying was registering in his mind. It was like Louis was speaking a different language.

Logan gasped suddenly when Louis placed a hand on his shoulder. He relaxed as the warmth spread into his skin, as if it was flooding his body like an injection. He wiped his brow and face with the back of his hand before wiping the cool liquid off his hand and onto his bedsheets. He brought his hand back up to his hair and found it damp from sweat. The same was true for the pillow, a large dark patch in the centre where the sweat had soaked into it.

“Hey, man.” Louis attempted to get Logan’s attention again. “You okay?”

Logan nodded slowly and swallowed thickly. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.”

“You sure?” Louis didn’t believe him. “You haven’t had a nightmare like that in a good while.”

“I always have nightmares.” Logan rasped out, his throat sore. “Always the same two. I’m either in that awful asylum or I’m back in that room.”

“Do you want me to give the doc a call?” Louis suggested in concern. “You haven’t seen her in months.”

“No. I don’t need her.” Logan refused, finally getting out of bed and stretching. “It’s almost over. I can manage.”

“If you say so, mate.” Louis accepted with a reluctant shrug. “You should hurry up and get ready for school.”

“I was thinking of ditching it today.” Logan commented with a groan.

“You can’t do that.” Louis teased. “Your friend will be lonely without you.”

Logan shrugged as he grabbed a towel and some clothes. “He doesn’t need me.”

“Maybe not but you _do_ need him.” Louis stated as Logan left the room.

“Whatever!” Logan called back from the hallway as he made his way to the showers.

 

The rain bounced off the concrete as it pelted down from the dark clouds above. It was a few minutes before the bell rang at Dini Academy to signal the start of the school day. Most of the students were flooding into the main building as fast as they could to escape the traditional Gotham weather but Dick was not among them. He walked slowly towards the school building, his cold hand holding onto the curved wooden handle of the large black umbrella Alfred had given him.

The sound of splashes caught his attention. He turned to look behind him where he spotted Logan running towards him. Unlike the perfectly dry acrobat, Logan only wore a leather jacket, leaving his hair and the bottom of his uniform soaked by the rain. He appeared to shiver with the cold before his face lit up as soon as he made eye contact with Dick.

“Good morning.” Dick greeted cheerfully, pleased to see his new friend so early in the day.

“Hey!” Logan greeted as he finally caught up, seeking shelter under the large umbrella. “You reminded me of the Penguin under this thing. I think it’s bigger than you!”

Dick laughed at the exaggeration. “Unfortunately mine doesn’t have any hidden blades or guns.”

“Dammit!” Logan cursed as they approached the front entrance. “And here I was hoping you could shoot our maths teacher with it.”

“Why?” Dick asked innocently. “Did you struggle with the homework?”

“No, no. Of course not.” Logan dismissed but hesitated under Dick’s studious glare. “Well, actually, yes.”

Dick folded the umbrella as they entered the main foyer. “Maths is fourth period, I can help you with the homework during lunch if you want.”

“You don’t have to.” Logan responded, raising his hands defensively.

“Isn’t that what friends are for?” Dick asked him rhetorically just as the bell rang.

Logan smiled as they headed for their first class. He liked the fact that Dick had an answer for everything. It helped to keep him honest, even though he knew the last thing he wanted to be was honest.

 

The bell rang to signal the end of the third period. Logan found himself immensely curious about Dick’s surprising knowledge of chemistry. He seemed to be a couple school years ahead of everyone else when it came to the things he understood and the problems he could solve. It had made the former acrobat the teacher’s pet for the most part as their teacher had been pleasantly surprised as well.

The two boys walked together, each of them lost in their own thoughts as they found a table to sit at. Dick had a packed lunch prepared by Alfred again while Logan followed his own routine and bought food from the cafeteria. They ate in relative silence, stopping only for small talk. Dick was focused on eating quickly so he could help Logan with his math homework whereas Logan still felt bad about relying on Dick for the help.

The twenty minutes that followed their lunch were spent close together. They sat side by side so that Dick could show Logan how to do the harder math problems and explain it in a way that he would understand. The taller teen was relieved that Dick could explain things so well as it was suddenly all making much more sense, though this time he was paying attention instead of generally ignoring the teacher. He couldn’t explain it, but Logan felt at ease being so close to Dick and was determined to keep his focus on the maths and not get distracted by the shorter teen next to him.

“Hey, would you like to hang out after school?” Dick asked as they finished off the last problem together.

Logan was surprised by the sudden offer but quickly smiled. “Yeah, sure. Have anything in mind?”

“You could come home with me.” Dick tried to make it sound like a suggestion. “I have the latest game consoles and enough outdoor space for other stuff.”

Logan smirked, he had heard a similar suggestion before. “Folks want to meet me, right?”

Dick stuttered in hesitation but ultimately nodded in defeat. “But I’m not lying about the games and stuff.”

“I know you’re not.” Logan replied with a chuckle. “Rich families are all the same it seems. Always want to check I’m not a criminal or something.”

“Even though you’re obviously not.” Dick commented with a chuckle of his own.

Logan swallowed thickly before grinning and shaking his head. “Of course not.”

A buzz of vibration and a sudden loud tone interrupted their laughter as Logan received a message on his phone. He reluctantly pulled out the device and checked his inbox. He had one new text message which brought him crashing back down to Earth when he read it.

**Neeson Docks. Tonight. Don’t forget.**

“You okay?” Dick asked his friend. “You seem tense.”

Logan looked up at him before glancing back down at the text message. He closed his phone and stuffed it back into his pocket before shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s nothing.” Logan lied, not wanting his time with Dick to be interrupted by his other responsibilities.

“Are you sure?” Dick pressed slightly, not believing him given the reaction he had.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Logan replied with a sigh. “Just forgot something, it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

 

Gordon placed the cups of coffee on the wooden table that sat in the middle of the interview room. A tape recorder sat on the table as well, ready to record the interrogation that was about to take place. The table had originally been a light colour but over the years had darkened with scars. Some damage had been inflicted by nervous eye witnesses and suspects while the rest of the damage had been Batman related. Steam rose from the hot liquids as Gordon sat down and stared through his glasses at the witness before him.

“Interview with eyewitness beginning at three thirty-five on the eighth of April, conducted by Commissioner James Gordon.” Gordon spoke, opening the interview on the recording. “Would you please speak your name and profession?”

The younger man across from him sipped from his coffee, the boiling liquid stinging his lip and tongue as he placed the cup back on the table. He fidgeted in his chair before nodding and speaking up.

“My name is Jordan Lester and I am an officer for the Gotham Police Department.” The eyewitness introduced himself, running a hand through his still damp hair.

“Officer Lester, you were found on the banks of the East River in the early hours of this morning.” Gordon began. “Would you care to tell me again how you came to be there?”

“I was finishing off my patrol for the night when I spotted some suspicious activity at McKenzie Docks.” Officer Lester began.

“Suspicious in what way?” Gordon interrupted, demanding as much detail as possible before taking a sip of his own coffee.

“There was a large group of masked men, some of whom were armed and they were loading crates into unmarked vans.” The officer continued. “I went in to take a closer look but unfortunately I got caught. When I tried to radio for back-up someone hit me from behind.”

The officer shook as he relived the events in his mind. He had been a hair away from death only a few mere hours earlier and he was still coming to terms with that fact.

“He wore a mask so I couldn’t see his face but he sounded younger than the others. He took my gun and pointed it at my face.” Officer Lester continued, his voice cracking. “I really thought he was going to pull the trigger. I really thought I was never going to see my family again.”

“What stopped him?” Gordon asked, equally as curious as the first time he had heard the story.

“He told the others a watery grave was better, so he handcuffed me and took me to the end of the pier.” Officer Lester explained, his brow furrowed with confusion. “He handed me the key and told me to hide under the pier.”

“So, he didn’t shoot you?” Gordon questioned for the sake of the recording.

“He did but the bullet only grazed me. He made it look like he shot me.” Officer Lester finished. “I thought I was gonna drown but somehow I kicked myself to the shallows under the pier.”

“And you have no idea who he was or why he spared your life?” Gordon asked, sipping his coffee.

“I have no idea.” Officer Lester shrugged. “But I did hear one of the others call him something.”

“What did they call him?” Gordon pressed, leaning forward.

“Valence.” The younger officer responded, taking a large gulp of coffee to calm his nerves.

Before Gordon could ask anything else, both men were startled by several loud bangs as gunshots echoed through the corridors of the GCPD. Commissioner Gordon leaped out of his chair and unholstered his Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolver before making his way out of the interview room.

He rushed down the hallway, stopping to peer round the corner before continuing on towards the holding cells. Something serious must have happened for gunshots to be sounding inside the GCPD of all places. Gordon aimed his revolver as he entered the holding cells and found several officers crowded around one of the cells.

“What the hell happened?” Gordon bellowed, lowering his gun.

“Phillip Blake and Officer Bloom are both dead, commissioner.” One of the officers told him with a solemn expression.

Gordon looked past them to find Phillip Blake, also known as The Governor, slumped against the wall of his cell with three bullet wounds to the chest. His black shirt was already soaked with blood as it started to drip onto the floor.

In front of the holding cell was the body of Officer Bloom, splayed out on his back on the floor. A pool of blood flowed under his lifeless body, the blood seeping out of the six bullet holes that riddled his chest and abdomen. His gun, a Smith & Wesson 6904, lay on the ground beside him with spent bullet casings next to it.

“How the hell did that happen?” Gordon barked back furiously.

“Officer Bloom shot Blake through the bars and then turned his gun on us.” The officer explained. “We had no choice, sir.”

Gordon holstered his revolver and cursed under his breath. He knew fine well that this was Black Mask’s doing. It was a well-known fact that Black Mask had informants and assassins in important positions, it was one of the main reasons he was so difficult to bring in. He always managed to bend the justice system to his will. Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. This was his fault for not being more thorough. He would need to re-evaluate his entire police force.

 

When the school day ended the rain was still pelting down from the dark clouds above. Logan walked as close to Dick’s side as possible so he could be covered by the large black umbrella the young Grayson carried with him. The initial hustle and bustle of getting out of the school was always a mad dash regardless of whether it was raining or not. As the two teenagers walked together they quickly spotted Alfred in the near distance.

Parked up near the front gates to the school grounds was the Bentley Mulsanne that Alfred loved to drive so much. Standing in the rain, impeccably dressed and holding a large black umbrella was Alfred. He smiled as he spotted the two of them and raised his hand in a brief wave to show he had seen them.

“Who is that?” Logan asked the shorter teen. “Your grandfather?”

“No, he’s our butler.” Dick answered without a second thought. “Though he does feel like a grandfather sometimes.”

“Butler?!” Logan exclaimed, standing still in shock and getting wet in the process.

Dick stopped and turned back to him, quickly making his way back over so Logan was under the umbrella again. Logan sighed as they walked. He knew that living in the Palisades meant that Dick had a wealthy lifestyle but he wasn’t expecting a butler. Images of a huge mansion with various maids and servants filled his mind and disgusted him. He hated aristocracy but decided to swallow his pride for his friend.

“Hey, Alfred.” Dick greeted cheerfully when they reached the butler.

“Master Dick.” Alfred responded with a smile as he cast his gaze to Logan.

“This is Logan.” Dick introduced his friend to Alfred.

“Pleased to meet you Master Valence.” Alfred greeted as he opened the back door for them. “Alfred Pennyworth.”

“Just Logan is fine, Mr Pennyworth.” Logan corrected, uncomfortable with such formality.

“And just Alfred is fine as well.” Alfred replied, immediately easing some of the tension.

Logan stepped into the car first, the manners taught to Dick preventing him from getting in first. Dick quickly scurried into the car beside him after handing Alfred his umbrella. Alfred closed the door behind him and closed the umbrella as he made his way around to the driver’s door. He closed his own umbrella and stepped into the car, placing the umbrellas down on top of a towel on the floor.

“Hey!” Dick tapped Logan’s tense shoulder. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“Oh yeah?” Logan responded with a raised eyebrow. “What am I thinking?”

“You’re expecting this all to be really formal and snobby.” Dick answered correctly. “But I promise you that it’s not.”

“I trust you.” Logan replied with a smile. “I just hope you truly appreciate what you’ve got.”

 

The rain seemed to ease up and become lighter as they left the confines of the city. The car ride took them to the city outskirts in the Palisades, driving past several wealthy estates before hitting a well-kept country road surrounded by thick woodland. Logan kept staring out the windows, taking in all the details and memorising the directions in case he needed to work out exactly where he was.

Eventually, the car reached a set of large metallic gates. With a press of a button on the car keys, Alfred opened the gates electronically and continued to drive onto the estate as the gates closed behind them. Logan’s eyes widened as the car drove through the grounds and stopped at the front steps of the large sandstone manor. The building was more like a castle than a house with its four floors, large windows and impressive turrets and spires. When he saw the large W carved above the front door he quickly realised why the building had felt so familiar.

“Wait a second, this is Wayne Manor!” Logan exclaimed, turning to Dick. “You live with the Prince of Gotham?”

Dick stared back in surprise. “I thought you already knew that.”

Logan violently shook his head. “I don’t keep up with celebrity gossip. I had no idea you were Bruce Wayne’s ward!”

“You must live under a rock or something.” Dick commented jokingly.

“Pretty much.” Logan added with a shrug and a nervous laugh.

Alfred grabbed the umbrellas and stepped out of the car. He opened his own umbrella before opening the door for the boys, handing Dick his own umbrella before closing the door for them. Dick quickly led Logan towards the front steps of the manor while Alfred got back in the car so he could drive it round to the garage.

Logan felt nerves race through him as he and Dick walked up the stone steps, contemplating how old the steps were and how many people had been offered the privilege to enter the large mansion in front of him. Recalling some of his history classes, he remembered that the mansion was at least two hundred years old. He was brought out of his thoughts by Dick opening one of the large double doors and guiding him inside.

The young Grayson closed his umbrella and dumped it in a barrel by the door before taking off his coat and hanging it up. Logan took off his leather jacket and hung it up next to Dick’s coat before fixing his hair and sighing nervously. When he was younger, his parents had talked about the Wayne family a lot so he knew some of their history and how important they were to the city. It didn’t feel real to be standing in Bruce Wayne’s house.

Speaking of the devil, Logan felt his breath get caught in his throat when he noticed Bruce Wayne descending the grand staircase. The master of the household wore a dark grey Italian suit with a white undershirt and brown tie. He looked as wealthy as he was with the net worth of between seven and eight billion dollars floating across Logan’s mind from his memory banks. Meeting the man in person for the first time made Logan realise why so many women wouldn’t shut up about the billionaire. With dark hair, stunning blue eyes and a chiselled jaw along with what appeared to be an impressive physique under the suit, Logan could certainly see the appeal.

“You must be Dick’s new friend.” Bruce announced as he offered his hand to be shaken. “Bruce Wayne.”

“Logan Valence.” Logan greeted as he shook the other man’s hand. “I’ve heard so much about you, Mister Wayne.”

“Not everything I hope.” Bruce joked. “And please, call me Bruce.”

“Thanks for having me, Bruce.” Logan commented, feeling incredibly small next to the billionaire. “I didn’t actually know that Dick lived with you.”

“Regardless, you can see that he’s just a normal teenager like yourself.” Bruce commented, placing a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “I’d also like to thank you for helping Dick get settled. He was rather nervous about his first couple days.”

“I wasn’t nervous!” Dick denied it, despite it being true.

“I know what that’s like, so it was no big deal, really.” Logan replied with a shrug.

Bruce narrowed his eyes for a moment. Something seemed oddly familiar about the young man before him but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. He was certain that he had seen the boy before but was struggling to remember if it was as Bruce Wayne or as Batman. Considering he was Dick’s friend, Bruce was hoping he had saved him as Batman or something and they hadn’t met under more sinister circumstances.

“Well, I’m not going to keep you boys any longer.” Bruce commented as he grabbed his coat from the rack. “I have an urgent business meeting, so if you need anything just ask Alfred.”

“A business meeting?” Logan questioned, feeling comfortable enough to joke. “So you’re not all sports cars and wild nights out then?”

Bruce gave a cheeky smirk. “The bar doesn’t open till eight but you’re welcome to come join me.”

“But Mr Wayne, I’m underage!” Logan retorted in fake shock. It wasn’t like he had never drank alcohol before.

“That excuse never stopped me!” Bruce quipped before heading out the door into the rain.

“Wow.” Logan remarked, tension leaving his body. “He’s totally different to how I expected him to be.”

Dick smiled, glad that they had started off on good terms. “He’s great, see? I told you it would be fine.”

“And you were right.” Logan replied, smiling at the shorter teen.

The two teens turned their heads to the hallway before them after the sound of a door shutting echoed against the walls. Alfred quickly approached them with a brisk walking pace before stopping a few feet from them, placing his hands behind his back.

“I’m sure Master Wayne regrets not being able to spend more time to get to know you but unfortunately there are urgent matters at Wayne Enterprises he needs to attend to.” Alfred explained calmly.

Dick narrowed his eyes. Bruce had told him a few days before that everything at Wayne Enterprises had been sorted. It was the whole reason Lucius Fox had been able to dedicate enough time to build his new Robin suit. The chances of there being an urgent emergency at the company were well within the realms of possibility but Dick had a feeling Alfred was lying. Unfortunately, the butler was a master of deception much like Bruce, which made it impossible to tell if he was lying or telling the truth

“It’s quite alright.” Logan answered with a smile. “His work should always come first. I’m sure there’ll be other opportunities to spend time with him.”

“Good to hear you’re mature and understanding, though I’d expect nothing less from a friend of Master Dick.” Alfred responded with a matching smile. “So, why don’t you boys go enjoy yourselves and I’ll fix up some food.”

“Thanks, Alfred.” Dick responded quickly as he beckoned Logan to follow him down the hall.

“That’s very kind of you, thanks.” Logan added before following Dick.

 

A few minutes later they were on the other side of Wayne Manor where Dick had guided them into a room, closing the door behind them. The room was just as large as any of the other rooms in the mansion, which made any room in Logan’s old family house look tiny in comparison and his dorm in the orphanage even tinier. The windows on the far side of the room were streaked with rainwater but they still held an impressive view of the distant Gotham skyline. On the front wall was the latest 110 inch Ultra HD television. Logan had never seen a television that big, he never knew they even existed. Below the TV sat a large and elongated shelf which housed all the latest games consoles along with older models. One of the consoles was unrecognisable to Logan but the W emblem on the front suggested it was a WayneTech prototype.

In the centre of the room sat a large black pullout sofabed that seemed wide enough for at least six people. In front of the sofa and to its sides were three expensive looking wooden coffee tables. On the opposite side of the room from the massive television was a large computer desk that housed a fancy looking computer and a large curved monitor. To the left of that desk, the wall was lined with a large black wooden shelf packed with literally hundreds of videogames and Blu-ray DVDs.  The room was a teenage boy’s dream and Logan was more than a little gobsmacked to be standing in it.

“Wow…” Logan breathed out in amazement, his eyes darting between the posters that lined the walls.

Dick rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah… it’s a little overwhelming, I know.”

“Just a little.” Logan remarked with a sarcastic tone.

“It’s one of the perks of living with Bruce Wayne.” Dick commented before heading over to the shelves. “So, any games you’d like to play? I probably have all of them at this point.”

“I’ve always enjoyed the Street Fighter series.” Logan replied with a shrug, still uncomfortable with the size of the gaming room around him.

“I have the latest one, Street Fighter V.” Dick told him, walking along the shelf before he found the game in question.

Logan remained silent as he turned his attention to the enormous television at the front of the room. He was still in awe of the size of the screen, it was bigger than the windows of some houses. Dick wandered past him to turn on the PlayStation 4 that and insert the disk before logging into his online account, FlyingGrayson38.

“Oh, by the way I never asked before but what happened to your nose?” Dick asked as he plopped himself down on the sofa bed next to Logan.

Logan touched the cut on his nose. “Oh this… some guys tried to rob me and broke it when I fought back.”

Dick’s face flashed with concern before changing to curiosity. “Did you win the fight?”

Logan shook his head. “No but I got lucky because the Batman showed up.”

“You saw the Batman?” Dick feigned surprise. “Now you have to tell me the whole story!”

Logan took a breath and closed his eyes as he quickly prepared a fake story that would be convincing. He wasn’t about to admit to his new friend that it was Batman who had broken his nose. Once he had a story in his mind he opened his eyes and stared back at Dick’s expectant face.

“I was late getting home from a night out, so I stupidly went down a side alley to get home faster.” Logan explained. “Then these four guys just appeared out of the darkness and cornered me.”

_Logan jumped when the lights of the warehouse went out and plunged the building into total darkness. Before he could make any sense of what was going on, a large black shape smashed through the skylight and descended upon the other men there. His heart pounded with fear when he realised that it was the legendary Batman._

“I tried to talk my way out of it but guys like that don’t care.” Logan continued, making sure Dick was following every word without question. “When I tried to get away they pushed me against the wall.”

_Logan slammed against the door, causing it to swing violently on its hinges as he rushed through it and headed for the stairwell. He was hoping that he could escape the Batman by hiding on the roof or somehow escaping from the warehouse via the roof. He had to try. He froze in place when he rounded the water tank and discovered Batman waiting for him. The tall, dark figure stood with his black cape wrapped around him, rain water trickling down the fabric and dripping from his cowl._

_“There’s nowhere to run and I want answers.” Batman warned him, venom lacing his tone._

“When I wouldn’t hand over my money and phone, one of them punched me and broke my nose.” Logan explained. “Then they threw me to the ground and when I looked up I saw the Batman drop from the sky.”

_Logan couldn’t let the Batman take him in. He had to get his revenge and not even Batman could be allowed to stop him. In desperation, Logan swung a powerful kick at Batman’s side which was swiftly grabbed by Batman’s gloved hand. In one sudden, smooth movement, Batman knocked him onto his back. He groaned as the back of his head slammed against the roof with a metallic clang before yelping when Batman’s foot dropped down onto his face. Logan cried out as a loud crack sounded when his nose broke under the pressure._

_As he was still holding onto Logan’s leg, Batman dragged him across the rooftop until he stood on the very edge of it. He lifted Logan and hung him over the edge by his ankle. Logan cried out in fear as his balaclava fell from his face and dropped to the alleyway below as blood dripped from his broken nose. His black hair was soaking wet as it too was pulled towards the ground by gravity._

_“Who are you working for?” Batman growled like a lion. “My arm’s getting tired.”_

“He took them out like they were nothing! He was so fast it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!” Logan exclaimed as he continued his fake story. “When they were all unconscious he helped me up and made sure I was alright before he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.”

_“Talk!” Batman roared impatiently._

_“I…I can’t!” The teen pleaded, stuttering from fear. “He’d kill me if he knew I talked!”_

_“What makes you think I won’t?” Batman threatened and let go of the teen._

_Logan shrieked loudly as he plummeted towards the ground before his body suddenly stopped half-way down. A tight pain in his ankle forced him to glance up and spot the cable that was wrapped tightly around it. He panted as he tried to regain some control of his breathing but his heart was beating faster than it ever had before in his entire life._

_“Who are you working for?” Batman roared again, losing what little patience he had left._

_“Blake! Phillip Blake!” He cried out. “Everyone calls him Governor on the streets!”_

_Batman lifted the teen back up and grabbed him by his jacket collar, still holding him over the edge of the roof as his soulless white eyes glared right into Logan’s terrified blue eyes._

_“Where can I find him?” Batman snarled._

_Logan shook his head desperately. “I don’t know! I swear! He contacts us!”_

_Batman grunted before tossing the teen back onto the rooftop. He glared down at the young man who was shaking with terror. “If you’re lying, I’ll be back and I’ll break more than your nose.”_

“Wow! You’re so lucky!” Dick exclaimed, grateful for Bruce’s training when it came to acting. “I wish I could meet the famous Batman.”

“No, you don’t.” Logan corrected him. “Meeting him means something bad is happening to you or you’re doing something bad.”

“I guess but I bet it would still be awesome.” Dick shrugged optimistically.

“Yeah, I guess.” Logan commented before thinking for a moment. “Makes me wonder why he does it. Someone who dresses up like a bat clearly has issues, right?”

Dick forced an amused smile on his face. “Right!”

 

Alfred’s footsteps echoed against the cave’s dark walls as he descended the stone staircase. His expression turned sour when he found Bruce sitting at the main computer, hastily typing away at the keyboard. Having taken care of Bruce since he was an eight year old boy, Alfred hated seeing how obsessed the younger man was with his alter-ego. Originally Batman had only come out at night but now it seemed to be consuming his daytime as well. Bruce either hadn’t heard the butler approach or was too engrossed in what he was doing to acknowledge him.

“I feared I’d find you down here, sir.” Alfred remarked upon his approach. “You do realise that you are not an actual bat, Master Bruce? You do have to come out during the daytime as well.”

“I recognise that boy.” Bruce answered gruffly, not looking away from the computer screen.

“And you suspect he isn’t what he seems, sir?” Alfred questioned, looking at the screen himself.

“I’m going over the recent recordings from the cowl.” Bruce explained. “If I met him recently, it’ll be here somewhere.”

Both men watched the computer screen as the recorded videos played backwards rapidly. Most of the footage was surveillance or a fist fight but eventually Bruce paused the video. The freeze-frame depicted a young man being held upside down over the edge of a roof with blood running from his nose. Bruce hit a few keys on the keyboard and the frame was vertically inverted. Alfred gasped lightly as it was clear to him that the teenager in the video was the same one who was upstairs with Dick.

“He’s the one who led me to the Governor.” Bruce explained to Alfred. “He’s working for Black Mask.”

“Good heavens!” Alfred exclaimed before calming himself. “What would possess him to work for a man like that?”

“I don’t know.” Bruce responded as he remotely hacked into the GCPD criminal database. “Strange. He doesn’t have a criminal record.”

Bruce got out of the large black computer chair and headed down the steel staircase to a different part of the cave. He pressed his palm against the blue, circular device on the wall which lit up before the wall itself opened to reveal the black batsuit.

“What do you intend to do, Master Wayne?” Alfred asked him, not wanting to disturb Dick’s leisure time with his friend.

“I’m going to see what I can dig up at the GCPD.” Bruce explained as he slipped into the armoured suit. “I need to know why he’s working for Black Mask.”

“Very good, sir.” Alfred responded as he walked with Batman to the batmobile. “Though may I suggest we refrain from mentioning this to Master Dick?”

“Only until I know everything.” Batman answered as he got in the car.

Alfred stepped back so that he was off the platform. He stood and watched as the roof of the cockpit slid down and shut before the circular platform moved. The platform slowly spun round until the batmobile was facing the runway that led out of the cave. The afterburner spat out flame as the engine roared to life. After another second, the black, armoured vehicle thundered up the runway out of the cave and into the night.

 

Half an hour later Alfred couldn’t help but smile as he made his way down the hallway, framed paintings and Wayne family photos lining the walls. The wonderful sound of care-free laughter bouncing out of Dick’s gaming room was a welcome change to the usual gloomy silence. The Wayne family butler struggled to remember the last time he had heard so much laughter echoing through the halls of the old mansion.

He entered the room where Dick and Logan sat on the sofa bed, their eyes glued to the enormous television screen in front of them as their fingers moved quickly over the buttons of the controllers in their hands. Alfred glanced at the screen as the two on-screen characters brutally fought each other in accordance with the teenagers’ commands. He cleared his throat as he placed the tray down on the table.

The teens stopped playing the game, pausing the match they were having to pay attention to the butler and to see what he had brought them. Both boys were surprised by the selection of canned soft drinks and the two large plates with freshly cooked pizzas on them. Dick was more surprised than Logan, as it wasn’t very often that Alfred made pizza or any treats were really offered in the house.

“I thought a late lunch was in order and as Master Wayne is away on business I thought we could indulge on a slightly less healthy option.” Alfred explained with a mischievous smile.

“Wow! These look amazing!” Logan exclaimed, struggling to remember the last time he had eaten a decent meal.

“Freshly made in the kitchen downstairs.” Alfred informed him, pleased to see his cooking skills were appreciated.

“Thanks a lot, Alfred!” Dick responded as he eyed the man. “I guess Bruce is going to be gone for a while?”

“I’m afraid so.” Alfred sighed. “I’ll leave you boys to your lunch and your entertainment. If you need me just call for me on the intercom.”

Logan furrowed his brow. He appreciated the food and he was enjoying his time at the manor but he was still uncomfortable with Alfred’s position in the household. He was a lovely man, there was no doubt, but he shouldn’t have to be at the beckon and call of Bruce and Dick. He decided not to dwell on it as the butler left the room and decided to focus on the pizza when his stomach rumbled excitedly.

“Hey, before we eat, do you mind if I test out the camera on this?” Dick asked the other teen as he pulled out his phone. “I haven’t had a chance to try it out.”

Logan hesitated for a second before smiling. “Sure.”

Dick grinned excitedly as he raised his arm above them and angled the camera down on them. He smiled up at the phone while Logan did the same before he tapped the screen and took the picture. The one test picture quickly turned into multiple pictures with the boys making silly faces or posing in funny ways as they had fun together. The pictures would serve as a marker for their first day together outside of the school. Logan made a mental note to ask Dick for the pictures later.

 

Commissioner Gordon sighed as he stepped into his office and shut the door behind him. He leaned back against the door and let himself become one with the darkness of the room for a while. It had an oddly calming effect. The rain outside pattered against the glass as the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the street outside poured in through the open window. Gordon narrowed his eyes. He didn’t remember leaving the window open.

The GCPD veteran quickly flicked the switch to turn the lights on. He squinted as the sudden brightness attacked his eyes before he spotted Batman hunched over his filing cabinet, his cape cocooned around him. Water slid off the cowl and dripped down the cape onto the floor. Gordon sighed. He had expected to find the brooding hero in his office as soon as he spotted the open window.

“Long day, Jim?” Batman asked gruffly, not looking up from the file he was reading.

“Do you know what a door is?” Gordon asked as he closed the blinds of his office door and locked it.

“This couldn’t wait.” Batman responded, still engrossed in the document.

“I hope you know more about Black Mask’s operation than you did before.” Gordon warned him, sitting down in his chair. “Because Blake’s dead.”

This time Batman turned to him. “What happened?”

“One of our officers was on Sionis’ payroll and assassinated him.” Gordon explained as he rubbed his temples. “The other officers gunned him down before I got there.”

“Sionis is paranoid, so we have to be paranoid as well.” Batman commented as he returned his gaze to the document.

Silence fell between the two men for a while. Gordon closed the window behind him after shivering from the cold draught that caught the back of his neck. It had indeed been a long day for him and he could tell that a long night was ahead of him. The Governor’s assassination was an open and shut case and was to be expected when dealing with Black Mask. The incident at the docks the night before was something different and Gordon was struggling to work out a motive for letting the officer live.

“A strange thing happened last night. One of my officers came across Black Mask’s men at the docks and got caught.” Gordon told the caped crusader. “The guy that was going to kill him never did, he went out his way to fake the execution and I can’t figure out why. All I know is that the guy was called Valence.”

Batman turned and narrowed his eyes behind the white lenses of the cowl. “Valence?”

“Yeah, Valence.” Gordon repeated. “Does that name mean anything to you?”

Batman walked over to the front of Gordon’s desk and dropped the document he had been reading down in front of him. It was a case file marked #6393. The case had been closed six months previous but as Gordon’s eyes skimmed through the report he realised the significance. An unidentified body had been pulled from the Gotham River that remained as a John Doe for weeks because no one came to claim the body. Eventually an identification was made using a cross-reference of dental records. Nicholas “Nico” Valence.

“He worked for Black Mask. He probably planned to betray him and got caught.” Batman told Gordon as he stood in front of the desk like a black pillar. “Black Mask had him shot and his body dumped in the river.”

“Rumour has it he tried to inform the GCPD but picked a bent cop, someone under Sionis’ control.” Gordon filled in the blanks, staring back grimly. “And after what happened today I’m willing to believe that isn’t just a rumour.”

“The man at the docks last night is probably related to him.” Batman explained, piecing the puzzle together. “He may be working for Black Mask as part of some quest for vengeance. Turn the page.”

Gordon did as he was told and turned the page of the file. There was a connection to another case, another murder that made the old man’s eyes widen. From what he read on the report, the crime scene, the autopsies and the clear links in both cases, he had to admit that Batman was probably right. It would also mean that more deaths were bound to follow unless something was done.

He quickly realised that Batman knew things that he wasn’t being told and all he had come to the GCPD for was added evidence to connect the dots with. He looked up, intent on asking the caped hero what that extra information was but felt himself deflate when he did. Batman was already gone. The window behind him was still closed and so was the door.

Gordon sighed and muttered aloud to himself. “How the hell does he keep doing that?”

 

_Logan let out a shaky breath of apprehension as he entered the Iceberg Lounge. It hadn’t been difficult to convince the doorman to let him in, given that this was a club for regular Gothamites and the underbelly of the city as well. The rave music was blaring and echoing against the walls with each heavy drumbeat. He figured that the Lounge was being used mainly as a brothel that night, which wasn’t a surprise in Gotham. There were plenty of brothels to choose from._

_He slipped past one of Penguin’s men and ascended a staircase hidden behind the back wall. He was surprised to find it led him up to the second level where he could see everything from. The club was named after the huge Iceberg that sat in the middle of the main room, though it was probably a fake as real ice would probably have melted. Logan had to admit it, the club was very well decorated and looked like it could be a fantastic night out. Perhaps he’d come back one day._

_A guffaw of sinister laughter caught his attention as his eyes settled on the man he was looking for. Oswald Cobblepot, commonly known as the Penguin. He was unmistakable in his fur coat that looked too big for him, with his receding hairline and the base of a glass bottle embedded around one eye. He sat in a large chair and sipped red wine while two gorgeous women hung over him on either side of the chair. His well-dressed and obviously armed guards stood at the side-lines._

_Logan took a deep breath before walking up to him. “Excuse me, Mr. Cobblepot. Could I have a moment of your time?”_

_“And who the bloody hell are you?” Penguin spat. “And how’d you get up here?”_

_“Your guards don’t pay much attention, I guess.” Logan commented, much to Penguin’s irritation._

_“What the hell do you want, son?” Penguin barked as he glared at him. “I ain’t got all bloody night.”_

_“I was told that you could supply guns to anyone willing to pay for them.” Logan answered. “I have cash and I need a gun. One handgun is all I need.”_

_“Is that right?” Penguin asked rhetorically as he lit a cigar and blew the smoke in Logan’s face. “And what do you need that for? Planning on robbing a jewellery store or shooting some rich couple in an alley?”_

_“I plan to kill someone, yeah.” Logan told the mobster. “If it helps to convince you, their death would do you some good as well, I think.”_

_“Listen, lad, you’re gonna need more than a handgun to kill that Bat bastard.” Penguin commented with an incredulous snort._

_“It’s not Batman I want to kill.” Logan replied as Penguin took another mouthful of wine. “It’s Black Mask.”_

_“What?” Penguin exclaimed after spitting out the wine. “You wanna kill Black Mask with one of my guns? You’re having a laugh! And I don’t like Jokers!”_

_“I was under the impression you were in a turf war with him and you’d benefit from having him dead.” Logan explained quickly, his legs shaking as he started to lose his nerve._

_“Sionis is the most paranoid bastard I know and if you mess up, which you will, he’ll know it’s one of my guns!” Penguin explained, leaning forward angrily. “That’s one war I ain’t bloody interested in starting!”_

_Logan wasn’t getting anywhere and it was starting to frustrate him. He grit his teeth as he fought to control his temper as Penguin sneered at him in disgust. He would get his revenge on Black Mask no matter what, and some cigar smoking dwarf wasn’t going to stop him._

_“I didn’t come all this way to take no for an answer, Penguin.” Logan hissed as his temper got the better of him._

_“Well, that’s tough luck, son because that’s the answer you’re getting.” Penguin spat back and pointed his umbrella at the teen._

_Logan knocked the umbrella away from him with a swift backhand, knocking over the wine glass in the process as he glared angrily at the mobster. Penguin growled angrily at him, not willing to tolerate such disrespect for even a moment._

_“Boys!” Penguin called as his bodyguards stood to attention. “Take him out the back and teach him a lesson, good and proper!”_

_“I’ll remember this, Cobblepot!” Logan spat as he was dragged away by two of Penguin’s men._

Logan jumped awake when he realised he was in unfamiliar surroundings. His short term memory quickly kicked in and reminded him he was in Dick Grayson’s gaming room in the Eastern wing of Wayne Manor. He looked to his left where Dick had been sitting, an apology for dozing off already on the tip of his tongue when he discovered that the other teen was no longer there.

“Dick?” Logan called out, standing up so he could look around the room but failed to spot the young Grayson.

He figured that Dick would either be in the bathroom or had gone to do something else while Logan slept. Glancing down at the table he noticed that wherever Dick had disappeared to, he hadn’t taken the empty plates with him. That was expected to be Alfred’s job, presumably. Logan shook his head at the thought of just expecting the old man to clean up after him. That wasn’t how he had been raised to behave around people.

Logan placed the plates and glasses back on the steel tray Alfred had brought them in with and lifted the tray. He headed out the room and down the hallway, trying to commit the layout of the manor to memory. He hesitated before heading down one of the many staircases in the house, the dark red carpet stair tread soft under his feet. On the ground floor his footsteps thudded against the polished marble as he searched for the kitchen.

It didn’t take him as long as he had expected to find the kitchen. Like every other room in the house, the kitchen was spotless and very spacious. It would be easy for an entire team of chefs to work in the kitchen and Logan didn’t doubt for a moment that several teams already had. Bruce Wayne was known for throwing extravagant parties for Gotham’s socialites and he was sure the billionaire employed various catering groups for those events.

He took the plates and glasses to the nearest sink and rolled up his sleeves before he started washing them. Fortunately all the washing up liquid, sponges and cloths he needed were neatly organised around the basin so he didn’t have to waste time searching for the supplies. He noted that the manor had some incredible water pressure with the spray from the tap being almost strong enough to clean the plates without any added manual effort.

“Master Logan, what on Earth are you doing in here?” Alfred’s voice boomed from the doorway.

“Washing the dishes.” Logan answered as he placed the first plate on the drying rack.

“That’s not necessary.” Alfred told him, stepping into the kitchen. “I’ll take care of the dishes.”

“But you don’t have to.” Logan countered, turning to stare at the butler. “I’m not a Wayne and I’m not some snob. You don’t have to do anything for me.”

“You are a guest in this house and you shall be treated as such for as long as you stay here. Hospitality is a basic form of respect, young sir.” Alfred argued as he approached him. “So, please, return that respect and get out of my kitchen.”

Logan raised his eyebrows and hands while closing his eyes and sighing. “Point taken.”

“And best remembered.” Alfred added as he watched the teen leave the room.

Logan wandered back into the hallway and headed for the staircase but stopped before ascending the steps. Off to his right was one of the front rooms of the large manor and a strange sense of curiosity overpowered his usual instincts. Logan entered the front room, which looked to be the one most often used judging by the large television and assortment of expensive leather furniture.

Above the fireplace was a large portrait depicting a man and a woman holding each other in a formal yet loving embrace. The man wore a smart black suit, not dissimilar to the one Bruce was wearing when Logan arrived, and the woman wore a beautiful white dress with a necklace of white pearls round her neck. Logan recognised their faces instantly. Thomas and Martha Wayne. Bruce’s parents.

He remembered learning about them in school, Thomas Wayne had been a skilled surgeon and philanthropist who had started the charitable Wayne Foundation. The city was indebted to his financial and social contributions. Martha Wayne came from a wealthy background and used that wealth for the betterment of the city, often hosting fundraisers and charity balls.  He also recalled that the Waynes were killed twenty years ago on the 26th of June in Crime Alley just before 11pm. Bruce Wayne was only eight years old when it happened and he had been there to witness it all.

Logan struggled to reconcile that information with the jovial man he had met a couple hours before. The happy go lucky party animal and playboy that Bruce was supposed to be didn’t match up with the tragedy that had befallen him. How could he simply move on as if nothing had happened? Even though it had happened some twenty years ago Logan doubted anyone’s ability to overcome such trauma so easily.

A sudden hand being placed on his shoulder startled him and made him jump on the spot. He turned to find Bruce standing next to him, staring up at the portrait of his parents. Logan hadn’t even heard him enter the manor let alone enter the room he was in. He must have been so deep in thought that he had literally zoned the rest of the world out because he doubted Bruce was inhumanly quiet.

“Does the pain ever go away?” Logan asked him, breaking the silence as he looked back up at the portrait.

“No.” Bruce answered with a shake of his head. “But one day the pain will be useful to you.”

Logan considered Bruce’s cryptic response. He wasn’t sure how trauma and pain could ever be useful to someone but then he considered how happy Bruce seemed to be. Perhaps he had found a use for his pain and that’s how he had moved on without being dominated by heartbreak. Perhaps Logan could one day do the same.

“There you are!” Dick’s voice sounded from the doorway.

Logan rubbed the back of his head as he turned to his friend. “Yeah, sorry for falling asleep earlier. I was looking for you but this place is huge.”

“You should have stayed put.” Dick told him with a smile of amusement. “I got you a blanket in case you wanted to sleep for a while.”

“As much as I would love to, I can’t.” Logan responded with a sigh of disappointment. “I have places to be this evening and I wouldn’t want to outstay my welcome.”

“Nonsense.” Bruce retorted with a shake of his head. “You’re always welcome here.”

“Well, thanks for the hospitality, Mister Wayne.” Logan replied as he headed for the door. “But I have appointments to keep.”

“That’s quite alright, we all have busy lives.” Bruce answered before pressing a button on the wall mounted intercom. “Alfred, bring the car around for Logan, would you? He has places to be.”

“Right away, sir.” Alfred’s voice responded through the speaker.

“It’s fine, Bruce, really.” Logan insisted, slipping on his jacket. “I can walk back, I don’t want to be a burden.”

“We’re twelve miles away from the city and it’s already dark.” Bruce retorted. “Alfred will take you back.”

“Okay, thanks.” Logan responded as he heard Alfred sound the car horn outside. “Dick, I’ll text you or something and I’ll see you at school.”

“See you tomorrow.” Dick replied with a wave as Logan left the house.

As Bruce and Dick watched Logan climb into the car before Alfred drove off, Bruce pulled out a small device from his pocket and checked the screen. A small red dot on the radar screen depicted Logan leaving the grounds of Wayne Manor. Bruce was always relieved when his trackers worked properly.

 

“This’ll do, Alfred.” Logan announced to the butler as they entered Red Hook.

“Are you sure, Master Logan?” Alfred questioned. “This is a rather dreary part of the city.”

“But it’s where I live, my apartment isn’t far.” Logan explained with a half lie. “Thanks a lot for the ride, I really appreciate it.”

“It was my pleasure.” Alfred replied with a smile as Logan got out of the car. “Do take care.”

“You too.” Logan responded and closed the door.

He crossed the street and made it look like he was heading to the next street until Alfred’s car was out of sight. He wasn’t ready to admit to any members of the Wayne household that he actually lived in an orphanage and worked for Black Mask in the evenings. Logan smirked to himself, at least the rain was off for a change.

The sound of rock music broke him out of his thoughts as his phone starting ringing. He pulled the slim black device out of his pocket and grimaced at the caller ID. It was one of Black Mask’s lieutenants, someone who couldn’t be ignored without serious consequences.

“Yeah?” Logan answered the call.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten to be at Neeson Docks tonight.” The man’s gruff voice warned. “If you’re not there, we’ll have to come and teach you a lesson.”

There was a click as the line went dead. Logan sighed and pocketed his phone. He knew what lesson that would be if he didn’t do as he was told.

_Logan yelped as he hit the ground hard. Penguin’s thugs had just thrown him out the back door and were entering the alley to finish him off. He groaned as he stood up and prepared to defend himself. He was scared. This was probably going to be his last few moments alive but he wasn’t going to just let it happen. One of the men quickly grabbed him from behind in a full nelson._

_“Guns are too loud so we’re gonna do this the old fashioned way!” The other thug taunted as he pulled out a knife. “Time to teach you a lesson for disrespecting Mr. Cobblepot.”_

_Logan grunted with effort as he placed both his hands on his forehead with the palms facing outward. He used this position for leverage and managed to lift his head up so that he was standing upright despite the full nelson the other man had him in. When the thug with the knife approached to deliver the first stab, Logan lifted both his legs and kicked him square in the chest, winding him and knocking him back against the brick wall._

_When his feet dropped back down he used the momentum to step behind the man who was holding onto him. Logan reached down and grabbed the man’s ankles before swiftly lifting him off his feet as he continued to hold on with the full nelson. Before the thug could react, Logan let himself drop to his left, making the man land on his back before Logan’s full weight dropped down on his ribs, cracking at least two of them as the man cried out in pain._

_He rushed forward to grab the knife that the other thug was about to reach for now that he had regained his breath. Logan just managed to grab the knife but had no time to use it before the thug smashed him up against the wall, desperate to get the knife back off him and kill him with it. Logan grunted with pain and exertion before kneeing the man squarely in the groin, causing him to double over._

_The panting teen took the opportunity and plunged the knife into the man’s side, shocked by how easily the blade went through the flesh and into the internal organs. The man cried out and gargled up blood as Logan continued to stab him another four times before letting him drop to the ground in a lifeless heap. The rapid sound of footsteps alerted him to the incoming attack from the other thug so Logan spun around swiftly with the blade raised and slashed with it._

_He gasped in horror as he realised what he had done. He had slashed the knife at just the right height to catch the man’s throat, slicing it open in one swift movement. The man reached his hands up to his throat as he drowned in his own blood that shot out of his neck with each beat of his heart. The man dropped to the ground as his life faded away._

_Logan shook with adrenaline, fear and shock. He had almost died and had just killed two men. He had murdered two men who could have families and children. He had robbed those people of their loved ones, despite the fact they worked for the Penguin and had been tasked with killing him. He looked down in horror at the bloodstains on his clothes and skin before his eyes settled on the knife that was still dripping with blood._

_He dropped the knife to the ground. At least he had been wearing gloves so his fingerprints wouldn’t be on the handle. Logan’s legs trembled as he felt weak and nauseous. Moments later he threw up in a corner of the alleyway, grimacing at the horrendous taste and the burning sensation in his throat. He coughed up some more bile before wiping his mouth and taking a few more shaky breaths as a cold sweat trickled down his face. There was one last thing left to do. Run. So he ran. He ran as fast as he could away from the Iceberg Lounge and the two men he had just killed._

 

**So there we have it, chapter 2 is finally done. I apologise for how long it took to get this updated but this story requires me putting myself in a pretty dark place. Also, my Walking Dead fanfic takes priority due to its popularity and following.**

**Anyway, this chapter has revealed some more pieces of the puzzle when it comes to Logan’s past and motives. Bruce knows what is going on but hasn’t acted on it yet and Dick is still completely and utterly clueless.**

**What do you think will happen? What would you like to see in future chapters? Let me know in the comments/reviews along with what you liked/didn’t like. I’ll try to get chapter 3 up much faster, I promise.**

**Thanks for all the kudos/follows/subscriptions/bookmarks etc.**

**Thanks to the reviewers of chapter 1: poele, Sarah_94, PoseidonsUnderpants, aka uchiha, bantan, dickiebirds, My Name Is Oliver Queen, jayjabber and Elliot Veloz.**


	3. Painful Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Logan and Dick grow closer, Batman and Robin start to drift further apart.

 

Dick followed Bruce down the dark, narrow staircase that led into the expansive cave below Wayne Manor. He was still smiling after having spent several hours with his new and so far only friend, Logan. Bruce’s disappearance earlier on wasn’t unexpected but it had left Dick curious. He knew it hadn’t been a business meeting at Wayne Enterprises, that was generally Lucius Fox’s job to handle such things.

“So, how was business?” Dick asked as bats screeched overhead.

“I managed to get a lead on the next drop-off.” Bruce replied firmly as the cave lights flashed back on.

When the huge computer screen lit up it revealed the display from Bruce’s handheld tracking device. It depicted the streets leading out of Red Hook as a small red dot blipped on and off as it moved up one of the streets. Dick recognised the display as one of the trackers, which explained what Bruce had been up to when he disappeared.

The young acrobat was about to comment on the display when it minimised to automatically bring up a breaking news report on GCN. A terrified male reporter clutched his microphone with white knuckles as he commented on the scenes of destruction occurring behind him. Police cars were being overturned as the police opened fire on a large humanoid creature.

“What on Earth is that thing?” Dick muttered in awe as he watched the scaly humanoid throw policemen away like rag dolls.

“Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc.” Bruce explained to him, surprised to see the monster in the outside world again. “Born into an abusive household with an extreme form of Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, both his physical and mental states have continued to deteriorate.”

“Was he always that size?” Dick asked in continued amazement.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the giant figure on the screen. “No. Something has happened to him. Suit up.”

“I hope you have a plan to fight that thing!” Dick called back as Bruce descended the stairs to the suits.

When he received no answer, Dick shook his head and quickly followed Bruce. He had a feeling this Killer Croc was going to put his new armour to the test.

 

Killer Croc’s beastly roar echoed down the street as he threw a police officer through a shop window, the glass shattering in as the security alarm started blaring. The officer slumped down against the wall he had crashed into and stopped moving. Croc covered his face with his grey, scaly arm as bullets ricocheted off his armour to the disbelief of the armed police officers who had been firing at him.

One unfortunate officer howled in pain as Croc stood on him with one of his scaly feet, the nails protruding out like sharp claws as he thundered towards the remaining officers. His dirty blue jeans and white tank top were torn from the gunfire and the fighting. Those two items were the only clothes the 10ft tall monstrosity wore. The rest of his scaly, armoured skin was exposed. His shoulders and forearms sporting spikes, his teeth sharpened to resemble a crocodile more closely. What once were human eyes had changed into the piercing yellow glare of a reptile.

The remaining officers were just about to call for backup when the thunderous roar of a powerful car engine sounded around them. The sound of a rocket being fired was the next thing they heard before a flare exploded in the middle of the street between the officers and Killer Croc, all of whom closed their eyes in pain at the bright flash.

The roar of the car engine got louder and louder until the Batmobile thundered past the patrol cars and slammed straight into Killer Croc, knocking the ravenous criminal back several meters. The cockpit opened as Batman and Robin both shot out of the car and into the air, spreading their capes out behind them to control their flight as they rapidly descended onto the beast.

Killer Croc roared defiantly as Batman’s boots slammed into him in a powerful dropkick that had little effect on the monster. One of Croc’s large, clawed hands grabbed Batman around the waist while his armoured scales protected him from the electric charge of Robin’s escrima sticks. Batman tried to break free from the reptile’s grip but was unable to overpower the hulking creature before it threw him across the street. Batman flipped in the air and managed to land on his feet, glaring at the beast.

Croc tried to punch Robin who continued to pelt him with the escrima sticks but lacked the necessary speed to catch the former acrobat. The young crimefighter leapt out of the way with his superior agility, leaving Croc’s scaly fist to crash through the bonnet of a parked car and destroy the engine, the windshield shattering from the impact.

“You’ve changed, Croc.” Batman commented. “What happened to you at Belle Reve?”

“They thought they could cage me!” Killer Croc snarled back as he pulled his fist out of the car. “Can’t keep Croc in a zoo!”

Batman narrowed his eyes under the white lenses of the cowl. He knew there was more going on than a simple escape. Belle Reve Penitentiary was home to several meta-human super criminals. They had technology, security systems and walls thick enough to stop most meta-humans from escaping the facility. Killer Croc should not have been too much for them to handle.

Suddenly, Killer Croc charged towards Batman with surprising speed, forcing the caped crusader to dash out of the way. Batman wasn’t fast enough, however, as Croc managed to grab his cape and lift him off his feet. The monster swung Batman in circles by his cape before throwing him through one of the shop windows. Before Croc could continue the attack, several cables wrapped around his body, revealing themselves to be Robin’s bolas.

 Robin ran towards Croc and jumped off the roof of a car to deliver a knock-out strike. As soon as he was airborne Croc pushed his arms out and snapped the cables. Robin reached for his grapple gun but it was too late to avoid Croc’s incoming attack. With bone-shattering force Killer Croc punched Robin away from him, the young crimefighter slamming against a brick wall and collapsing to the pavement. Robin groaned and coughed in agony as his whole body ached from the force of the impact. He looked up to find Croc looming over him before the scaly creature descended upon him with his mouth open, saliva dripping from his teeth. Robin quickly thrust an escrima stick into Croc’s mouth, the electricity having greater effect on the soft insides of the monster’s mouth.

Croc roared in pain and staggered back, holding his jaw in his hands as the painful shocks from the electricity faded. As he stepped forward to attack the fallen hero again he stopped and howled in pain as a sharp batarang embedded itself in his side. He whipped around to find Batman standing on the other side of the street, already preparing to throw another one at him. The reptilian criminal roared loudly again and charged towards the hero again but this time Batman made no effort to move. Croc raised his arm back and prepared a powerful punch which he threw as he finally reached Batman.

At the last second the caped hero side stepped the attack to reveal the electric junction box that was mounted on the wall. Croc’s fist smashed through the metal casing and protective tubing, connecting the colossal man to the main supply. Croc let out a deafening shriek as the electricity burned his insides and caused his body to spasm violently. Batman took this time to quickly spray some explosive gel on his gauntlet before jumping up and punching the monster in the side of the head. The gel exploded, sending Batman flying back and Croc crashing to the ground a few feet away from the junction box, his body still shaking as he lay on the ground unconscious.  

Batman stood back up and rubbed his fist and arm. Nothing was broken but he knew his arm was going to ache for a while. He turned his head to find Robin slowly walking over, clearly injured from the fight with the beast.

“Are you hurt?” Batman asked him, his voice still stern and gruff.

Robin shrugged and let a nervous smile creep onto his mouth. “The armour held up well so nothing’s broken at least.”

“Alfred can take a look at you when we get back.” Batman replied as he keyed in commands on the gauntlet mounted computer.

A few moments later the roar of a jet engine thundered overhead as the Batwing hovered above. A thick wire descended from the base of the aircraft with several attachment points at its base. Batman quickly tied each attachment point to Croc’s arms, legs and belt before keying in more commands. The wire lifted Croc high into the air until he reached the base of the Batwing. The engine roared to life again as the stealthy black plane rocketed off back to Belle Reve on autopilot.

Batman hopped into the driver’s seat of the Batmobile with Robin joining him in the passenger seat, still groaning from the pain shooting through his body. As the cockpit closed above them, Batman checked the tracker display and sighed in disappointment as the red dot had returned to Red Hook. They had lost the shipment and would need to wait for the next delivery. The afterburner spat out flames as the Batmobile accelerated down the road.

 

Logan pulled the collars of his leather jacket closer together as he shivered in response to the cold night air. Gotham always seemed to be damp and dreary and this night was no exception. The shipment of drugs for Black Mask’s operation had been delivered without any unwanted interruptions and surprisingly Dick hadn’t texted him either. Despite his initial disappointment, Logan knew it was for the best when he was at work.

He glanced up at the dark sky above, the black of night mixing in with the dark grey clouds that lingered overhead threatening even more rainfall. Logan squinted as the searchlight from one of the GCPD’s blimps landed on the road he was walking along. He kept his head down and made his way to the gates of the Pinkney Youth Hostel, looking over his shoulder to make sure he hadn’t been followed before heading on towards the building.

Logan shook the rain off his jacket as he stepped inside the Hostel. Mary had already gone to bed, which wasn’t a surprise considering how late at night it was and the well-known fact that she rarely left reception. He trudged up the stairs and along the corridor to the room he shared with Louis, closing the door quietly behind him before slouching down on his bed.

“Good day with your lover?” Louis barked from the other side of the room, startling him.

“He’s not my lover.” Logan replied, glaring back at his best friend. “He’s just a friend.”

“You only just got back, man!” Louis exclaimed. “I know you’ve got your night job but still, that’s a long time to spend with this new friend.”

“What’s wrong? Jealous?” Logan challenged with a sinister smirk.

“Maybe I am!” Louis retorted. “I thought I was special!”

“Oh fuck off!” Logan spat back with a laugh. “You know you are!”

Louis laughed with him as he lit up a cigarette and stood by the window, blowing the smoke out of it because he knew Logan hated it.

“So, seriously now.” Louis took a puff. “Tell me all about it.”

Logan sighed and leaned back on his bed, his back resting against the dirty grey wall as he tried to gather his thoughts. It had all been a lot to take in, meeting Alfred, discovering that Dick Grayson was the ward of playboy billionaire and Prince of Gotham, Bruce Wayne and then being invited into the enormous mansion that was Wayne Manor. The phenomenal wealth, the expensive paintings and family portraits that lined the walls and the spacious rooms. Playing videogames on the largest television screen he had ever seen excluding his trips to the cinema in Burnley and the perfectly cooked food that Alfred had made them. It had been totally overwhelming for someone who was used to living in a far less grandiose setting.

“Well, Dick…” Logan began.

“Dick?” Louis sniggered, immediately interrupting him.

“My friend’s name is Richard but he prefers Dick.” Logan explained in exasperation.

“He prefers Dick?” Louis answered in amusement. “Good to know, eh?”

Logan groaned in defeat at his friend’s innuendos, placing his face in his hands. Louis couldn’t help but laugh at the reaction.

“I’ll stop, I swear.” Louis added quickly. “Please, go on. I’m seriously curious.”

Logan glared at him, not believing a word of it before sighing. “Okay, so we went back to his place up in the Palisades.”

“He lives up there? His folks must be loaded.” Louis remarked as he took another deep puff of his cigarette.

“Well, turns out he doesn’t live with his parents. They must be dead.” Logan explained morbidly, knowing how that felt. “But he now lives with Bruce Wayne.”

“He lives in Wayne Manor and goes to your school?” Louis exclaimed, almost swallowing his cigarette in surprise. “Why isn’t he at some private school like Brentwood?”

Logan shrugged. “Dick’s not like that I guess. He told me his family wasn’t wealthy.”

“Damn, he’s lucky!” Louis remarked, thinking about living with the richest man in the state.

Logan immediately glared up at his friend. There was nothing lucky about being an orphan, regardless of where he ended up consequently. Louis realised his mistake and bowed his head, waving his hands in a non-verbal apology. One of Louis’ many faults was that he would often speak without thinking and usually Logan didn’t mind but this time he had touched a nerve.  

“The mansion was huge; I can’t even begin to describe it.” Logan continued. “That much money is hard to imagine.”

“Did you take anything?” Louis asked with a cynical smirk.

“Just a nap.” Logan answered honestly. “I met Mr. Wayne and he is totally different to how the papers talk about him.”

“So, he’s not some toff with women hanging off him all the time?” Louis inquired as he stubbed out his cigarette on the broken windowsill.

“No, he’s actually pretty normal and relaxed.” Logan replied. “Totally not what I was expecting.”

“Well, all kidding aside I’m glad you had a good time.” Louis commented as he shut the window. “God only knows you need more good times. We should go clubbing again soon.”

“For the music or the girls?” Logan asked as Louis got into his own bed.

“Both.” Louis’ curt reply sounded in the darkness after he turned the light out.

Logan shook his head in amusement. Louis loved to be a womaniser but it wasn’t Logan’s style. Though he had to admit, he was starting to crave intimacy after so many months without it.

“By the way…” Louis interrupted his thoughts. “You still want me to join you tomorrow, right?”

Logan nodded in the darkness before finally answering. “Yeah, of course. No one else can or will.”

 

The loud ticks of the grandfather clock echoed through the halls of Wayne Manor as Bruce, Dick and Alfred went through their morning routine. The three of them were in the main dining hall for breakfast. Bruce sat at the top of the table while Dick sat a couple of chairs down from him. Alfred busied himself with cleaning the contents of the trophy case after having made breakfast for both.

Bruce read the newspaper while taking sips of a thick protein shake from a large tumbler. He was quiet and deep in thought as he read about the previous night’s battle with Croc. When Killer Croc had first been caught he had been a large man no taller than 6ft 5. It was extremely bizarre to see the hulking monster that they fought with. If Bruce’s suspicions were correct then Amanda Waller, the woman in charge of Belle Reve, was probably behind Croc’s mutation and escape.

Dick was relatively quiet as well as he finished off his breakfast. After the brutal beating he had received from Croc the night before, Dick had been treated to Cinnamon Raisin Stuffed French Toast for breakfast along with his usual tumbler of fresh orange juice. As he finished off the French Toast and swallowed the last mouthful, his phone dinged with the notification of a new message. The young Grayson didn’t have to look to know who it was from.

**Hey Dick, mind sending me those pictures you took of us yesterday?**

Dick smiled and opened a reply, going through the various silly selfies they had taken with his phone that day. His thumb hovered over the final picture, the only picture that Dick refused to send to Logan. After Logan had fallen asleep, Dick had mischievously taken a photo of the sleeping teen and he had a feeling the taller teen would kill him if he found out. Giggling to himself at the thought of Logan’s reaction, Dick sent the other pictures with the accompanying message.

**Here you go! See you at school. ^_^**

A small tick appeared next to his message to show that Logan had indeed read his reply. A small pang of disappointment ran through him when he realised the other teen wasn’t typing a reply. Dick shook his head at himself, his friend was probably just getting ready for school and couldn’t sit texting constantly. Logan walked to school, as Dick quickly remembered, so he would have to leave earlier than Dick.

“Thanks to Croc and your injuries, we missed last night’s shipment.” Bruce suddenly boomed from behind the newspaper. “We’re going to have to work overtime if we want to stop Black Mask’s operation.”

“Might I suggest that you both take more care.” Alfred spoke up as he closed the trophy case. “Master Dick still has school to attend and too many injuries will encourage suspicious looks.”

“Then we’ll increase your training regime.” Bruce added as a solution.

“Come on, Bruce!” Dick argued, offended by the implication. “That thing last night was a behemoth, a freak!”

“This is Gotham, Dick.” Bruce retorted, folding up the paper. “You know as well as I do just how many freaks are hiding in the shadows.”

Before Dick could mount a reply that would suitably explain the snarling expression on his face, Alfred interjected to prevent the pending argument.

“Master Dick, grab your bag.” He interrupted. “It is time to leave for school.”

 

The school day had gone by slowly for Dick. It was a relief to have a bright, sunny day in Gotham for a change despite the dreary atmosphere that came with it. Logan hadn’t responded to his text message and hadn’t turned up for class, leaving Dick concerned and feeling slightly alone. He hadn’t had the time to make any other friends. As it was nearing the end of his last morning class, he quickly texted Logan in the hopes of receiving a response.

**You’re not at school. Is everything okay?**

It didn’t take long before his phone vibrated to alert him of the new message. At least he had received an answer this time.

**No.**

Dick furrowed his brow at the word on the screen, as if staring at it would make it tell him more. The more rational side of his brain told him that he still hardly knew his new friend and it would be wrong to pry into his private life. He didn’t listen to that side of his brain. He listened to the side that burned with a mix of curiosity and concern.

**Meet me outside at lunch? Maybe we can talk about it?**

He found himself tapping his finger against the side of his phone incessantly as he waited for the response. He desperately wanted to know what was wrong but more importantly, he wanted to be told. Dick knew he could easily find out where Logan stayed and spy on him as Robin but that wouldn’t be fair. He practically jumped as his phone vibrated at the same time the school bell rang loudly.

**Fine. Behind the oak tree.**

Dick smiled and packed his books into his bag before rushing out of the classroom and into the corridor. The tree Logan had mentioned was the biggest one on the school grounds, it was tucked away past the playing fields and was thick enough to hide them both from view. As he made his way down the corridor he could hear the familiar sinister laugh that only belonged to bullies.

At the end of the corridor, Lennox and his friends were pushing another student between them after encircling him. Dick clenched his fists as they continued to shove him around. He wanted to intervene but he wasn’t sure he could trust himself to not hurt them. Besides, Logan was waiting for him and he couldn’t take too long.

His mind was made up when the student that they had trapped threw a frustrated punch, which connected and earned him a more violent response. One of Lennox’s friends grabbed him by his neck length brown hair while Lennox punched him square in the face, breaking the bridge of his glasses and cutting the bridge of his nose.

“Leave him alone!” Dick barked as he approached the three bullies.

Lennox and his friends turned while their victim looked up at Dick, blood running down his nose and dripping onto his broken glasses on the floor below him. The bullies stared at Dick in malevolent amusement as Lennox stepped forward.

“Or what, shorty?” He challenged.

“Or it’ll hurt.” Dick retorted through grit teeth. It was a struggle not to break them.

Lennox guffawed at the idea of Dick hurting him before throwing a punch at the shorter student’s face. Dick immediately caught the punch in his open hand with plenty of time to spare. Compared to Batman and Robin’s usual enemies, Lennox was terribly slow. He gripped Lennox’s fist tightly and twisted his arm around until it hurt. As soon as the bully gasped in pain, Dick lifted his arm up and brought him down on one knee.

“Hurt him or anyone else again and I promise you’ll regret it.” Dick threatened, his voice deepening in a subconscious imitation of Batman.

He then let go of Lennox’s fist and watched as the three bullies scurried off down the corridor leaving him alone with their bleeding victim. Dick turned to the student and picked up his broken glasses, handing them over before pulling out a pack of tissues from his pocket and dabbing the student’s nose with it.

“Thanks, that was incredible.” The student winced at the pain stinging his nose.

“Not really.” Dick responded as he pressed the wound, trying his best to imitate Alfred. “Bullies are cowards.”

“You saved me from a beating.” The student insisted. “Lennox always gets away with it because his father is the headmaster.”

“What’s your name?” Dick asked as he stepped back after the bleeding started to slow down.

“Vincent but my friends call me Vinny.” The student introduced.

“Richard but you can call me Dick.” Dick replied with a smile. “Do they always push you around like that?”

Vincent nodded. “Yeah and I’m not strong enough to fight all three of them.”

“Well, I need to be somewhere right now but if you ever want to spend your lunches with me then you can.” Dick offered. “They won’t touch you if you’re with me.”

“Thanks, Dick.” Vincent smiled for the first time. “I’ll let you go. I should go to the infirmary anyway.”

“See you around.” Dick waved as he rushed down the corridor towards the stairs. He had to see Logan.

 

Five minutes later Dick had made it to the oak tree. He made his way around it so he’d be hidden from view where he found Logan sitting on the grass with his back against the trunk. One look at his friend told him something was very wrong. Logan was dressed in his casual attire; jeans, a black t-shirt and his leather jacket. His eyes were red and puffy around the edges, a clear sign that he had been crying.

Dick slowly sat down next to him. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Logan muttered out, not even bothering to look up.

“You’ve been crying.” Dick commented softly.

“Good to see your observation skills are up to par.” Logan answered sarcastically.

“I know it’s not my place to ask but maybe I can help?” Dick offered. “Talking helps.”

“You’re an orphan, right?” Logan asked, finally looking at Dick. “That’s why you’re Wayne’s ward, right?”

Dick nodded slowly. “Yeah…”

Logan nodded before taking a deep breath. “It’s the anniversary of the day I lost them.”

“You’re an orphan too?” Dick questioned rhetorically. He hadn’t expected that with how happy-go-lucky Logan had appeared to be.

Logan nodded. “I live in a Youth Hostel. You’re the only student I’ve ever told.”

Dick gently grasped Logan’s hand. “What happened to them?”

Logan looked into Dick’s eyes, fresh tears welling up in his own. He felt a strange comfort wash over him, trailing its way from their joined hands all the way to his chest. Someone else actually cared about him and the fact that Dick was also an orphan made it all the more sincere.

_Laughter filled the room as the Valence family sat together on the sofa watching a movie. Logan sat in the middle of the sofa dressed in his usual casual attire, skinny blue jeans and a long sleeved white shirt that featured his favourite band on the front. His short black hair was neatly styled after getting a haircut the day before._

_To Logan’s right sat his father, Jason Valence, who still had his suit and tie on. Since they had got home he had removed his suit jacket, loosened the black tie and had unbuttoned the collar of his shirt. Jason worked as a teacher in Gotham County High School and was well respected among the students and staff alike. He was an enthusiastic teacher who tried to make every class fun, though he was quick to punish any students who disrespected him or disrupted the class. Logan had taken after his father, as the man had dark hair and was built with broad shoulders and a tall, slim body._

_On Logan’s far left sat his beautiful mother, Alicia Valence, who wore a long honey coloured dress with a beautiful floral pattern on it. Her long blonde hair draped below her shoulders like a curtain. Alicia spent most of her time at home but had a part time job as a waitress in Finnigan’s bar. She enjoyed working there as the bar was popular with members of the GCPD, which made her feel much safer knowing she was surrounded by police._

_Between Alicia and Logan sat Logan’s little sister, Jessica. She was the spitting image of her mother with long blonde hair but she had her father’s piercing blue eyes. She had a similar fashion sense to her older brother, wearing jeans and a dark t-shirt. She was the reason the Valence family had spent the day together as it was her twelfth birthday. They had gone to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday and were now watching a movie they had gotten Jessica as a present._

_As the movie reached a few quiet scenes, Logan decided to get up and head through to the kitchen. One thing his sister adored was chocolate chip cookies and no movie night was complete without them, especially on her birthday. He smiled as he reached into the cupboard to retrieve the packet before emptying it into a family sized bowl that they could all share. His Uncle had been invited to come over but so far hadn’t shown up, which wasn’t much of a surprise. He hardly ever showed up for anything._

_As he made his way back through to the living room there was a loud bang on the door. His father quickly paused the movie and turned around as the front door was kicked off its hinges, the wood splintering violently. Two men entered the apartment, their heavy boots thudding on the floor with each footstep. They were both dressed similarly, black jeans and black leather jackets which were unzipped. One man had shoulder length dreadlocks and a cigarette in his mouth while the other had combed back brown hair and a scar running down his left cheek._

_Before any member of the Valence family could say or do anything, both men pulled Mac-10 submachineguns from their jackets and opened fire wildly. The bullets tore through the sofa, sending feathers and upholstery flying into the air. The television screen was smashed as it was riddled with bullet holes along with the vases that sat to either side of the screen. Jason grabbed his wife to shield her from the bullets but it was in vain as the bullets tore through both of them. The rapid stream of lead tore through their clothes and made their bodies convulse as they shrieked in agony and terror, blood splattering over the broken television and wall._

_Logan found himself frozen to the spot as if his feet had been bolted to the floor. His brain struggled to process what was happening in front of him as he watched his parents’ corpses collapse to the floor in a crimson embrace. His eyes then found his little sister, the birthday girl whose face was a picture of absolute horror. She ran towards her big brother, hoping he could somehow protect her. Before she could reach him, the stream of bullets caught her. All it took was one bullet. One bullet to the side of her head which blasted through her skull and embedded itself in the wall beside her. Logan felt his legs shake as his sister’s brain was splattered on the left side wall as her lifeless body dropped to the floor._

_He had no idea if he had dropped the bowl of cookies and it had smashed at his feet or if one of the stray bullets had hit the bowl. He still couldn’t move. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t scream. His legs shook and his knees buckled as a tremendous burning pain shot through his shoulder as the torrent of bullets finally reached him. Logan dropped to the ground with a cry of agony, spinning as he fell before landing face down on the floor. Turning his head to the right made him come face to face with his dead sister, her lifeless eyes still frozen in fear. The carpet underneath him became soggy as it soaked up the blood pouring from his shoulder and his sister’s head._

_Logan lay perfectly still but not in an effort to fool the men. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to die with his family but his body refused to move. He was paralyzed by trauma, agony and fear. He heard the men take photos of the corpses with their mobile phones before turning to leave. As the men left, Logan dared to move his head and when he did he saw them put on black skull masks to conceal their identities as they ran from the crime scene._

_Once he was sure the men had left, Logan finally got off the floor. The side of his face was covered in blood along with his previously white shirt which was now a dark crimson. He dropped to his knees, the carpet squelching on impact as tears flooded from his eyes. He coughed and choked as he wailed and cried. He continued to scream even as he heard the blaring sirens getting closer. It was too late. The men had disappeared into the night and his entire family was dead in front of him._

Logan struggled to get the words out as he gasped between sobs. Reliving the events of that awful night never got any easier but at least Dick could understand him better. He considered telling him more but knew that if he did it would end the friendship. In that moment, he realised he didn’t want to end the friendship, he wanted to keep Dick around for as long as he had left.

“Turns out my deadbeat, low life uncle worked for that bastard, Black Mask.” Logan explained between sobs. “He double crossed him and this was all part of his punishment.”

Logan let out a few more loud sobs before taking a breath to try and calm himself down.

“And the one question that haunts me every single day is why me?” Logan finished, pleading with Dick for an answer he knew the shorter teen couldn’t give him. “Why was I spared? Why did I have to survive and live with it all?”

Dick didn’t answer right away. Instead he quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Logan tightly, pulling him into a strong embrace. Logan was surprised but instinctively wrapped his arms around the shorter teen, lamenting how long it had been since anyone had hugged him. He was about to apologise for his tears dampening Dick’s uniform but he swallowed the apology, knowing fine well that Dick didn’t mind.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, you shouldn’t have had to face it alone.” Dick spoke into his ear, still holding him close. “My parents were killed by a mobster too.”

“Wanna tell me about it?” Logan choked out, trying to offer the same comfort.

“My parents and I were acrobats, we were The Flying Graysons and travelled with the circus.” Dick explained, still hugging him. “The manager owed protection money to the mob, so one of their men frayed the ropes. I watched my parents plummet to their deaths.”

Logan tightened his hold on Dick, instinctively rubbing the shorter teen’s back. “Did they ever get the guy who did it?”

Dick nodded against his shoulder. “The Batman got him.”

“Good.” Logan replied, starting to relax.

“What about you?” Dick asked, mentally scolding himself for hoping he could catch the men as Robin.

“I wasn’t as lucky as you were.” Logan sighed. “The gunmen are still out there and so is Black Mask. Batman didn’t come to my rescue.”

Dick frowned at the answer. The Valence family killers were still out there. The heavy weight of responsibility landed on his shoulders. Robin would find the men and bring them to justice. He’d make sure it hurt.

Their quiet embrace was interrupted by the sinisterly jovial cackle of the school bully, Lennox, who had found them. He wasn’t alone, as this time he was with three of his friends, all of whom were smirking at the two teens.

“Aw, look!” Lennox called. “It’s the boyfriends!”

“What do you want?” Dick hissed, pulling away from Logan.

“I’m gonna get you back for twisting my arm!” Lennox snarled back.

Logan stood up, shielding Dick behind his slightly larger frame as he squared up to Lennox and his friends.

“If you so much as touch him, I swear to God I’ll kill you this time.” Logan threatened him, clenching his fists in preparation.

Lennox shrugged and caught Logan off-guard by calling his bluff. The spiky haired bully smacked Logan across the jaw as hard as he could, forcing the teen to stumble to the side. Lennox’s two largest friends quickly loomed over Logan, creating a barrier between him and the leader of their pack.

The bully’s third companion charged at Dick, clenching his fist and preparing a punch. Unfortunately for him, the punch never landed as Dick quickly side stepped it before grabbing the other boy’s arm and flipping him over. The boy coughed and spluttered as he gasped for breath, the sudden impact having winded him. When Dick turned around, Lennox’s fist collided with his jaw, splitting his lip open and knocking him off balance before the bully finished his attack with a rugby tackle.

Dick grimaced as he landed on his back, raising his arms to defend himself from Lennox’s punches. He knew he could break free at any time with the training he had received but he also knew that if he did, it could cause suspicion. Dick chose to hide the true extent of his fighting abilities and simply blocked the strikes as best he could.

A few feet away, the other two bullies had Logan right where they wanted him. One of them had managed to get behind the teen and had slipped their arms under Logan’s, keeping the teen’s arms raised and useless. The other bully started punching Logan in the gut, laughing as he did before pausing for a moment. The pause was all Logan needed as he kicked himself off the ground, forcing the boy behind him to hold them upright, and used both feet to kick the one in front of him square in the chest.

As the bully stumbled back, Logan used the newfound momentum to his advantage. As soon as his feet landed back on the ground he swung himself forward and leaned as far down as he could. The bully who held him from behind couldn’t stay on his feet and let out a confused yelp as he fell over Logan’s head and landed on his back. As soon as the bully hit the ground, Logan kicked him in the head to knock him out. The boy he had kicked away suddenly swung a punch at him but Logan ducked it with surprising speed. He quickly countered by grabbing the bully’s elbow and the back of his head before slamming his face right into the tree trunk.

Logan took deep breaths as the pain from the punches started to wear off. His breathing was erratic as his body shook with adrenaline and anger. He marched over towards Lennox and Dick when the final bully stood in his way. Before the previously winded bully could attack him, Logan kicked him right in the groin, causing him to howl and double over. As soon as he had, Logan grabbed his head with both hands to hold it in place before kneeing him right in the face, bursting his nose open.

With Lennox’s three friends incapacitated from the fight, Logan marched over to where the lead bully still had Dick pinned down. He had warned Lennox that he’d kill him if he laid a finger on Dick, and now the bully had the smaller boy pinned down while he rained down punches on him. Logan was going to make him regret it. Dick was the second person to have ever remotely cared about him in the last eight months and he was not going to let anything happen to him.

Logan grabbed Lennox by the back of his jacket and forcefully ripped him off Dick. The bully gasped in surprise at the sudden force that was pushing him around and before he knew it, Logan had him pinned with his back against the tree trunk. The bully’s eyes widened when he felt Logan’s hands tightening around his neck. The other teen had been serious about killing him. He couldn’t breathe. He tried to hit Logan but the other teen quickly kneed him in the groin before tightening his hold on his neck.

“Logan!” Dick cried as he grabbed the taller teen’s arms. “That’s enough! You’re gonna kill him!”

Logan’s breathing started to calm down as he heard Dick’s voice. The dark cloud of fury that had been blinding his vision and his thoughts started to clear. He looked at Lennox’s face, which was quickly turning blue, and let go of his neck. Before the bully could say another word, Logan delivered a powerful headbutt to knock him out, his body sliding down the trunk to the ground.

“Why do you care, Dick?” Logan sighed as he looked down at Lennox’s unconscious form. “You don’t know me.”

Dick stared firmly into Logan’s eyes. “I want to know you. To really know you.”

“No, you don’t.” Logan countered with a shake of his head. “I’m not a good person, Dick.”

“Why not?” Dick questioned, wiping the blood from his bleeding lip.

“Because I…” Logan trailed off, catching himself before he revealed his secret. “Look what I almost did just now.”

“You were angry.” Dick excused him, pretending not to notice his hesitation.

“How do you know that was just anger?” Logan countered. “How do you know that’s not who I really am?”

“Because I’ve seen someone else nearly cross that line before.” Dick admitted quietly, realising he was also hesitating. “You are a good person and I care about you, alright?”

Logan let out a shaky breath as fresh tears threatened to fall before nodding. “You’re only the second person who has ever cared, you know, since it happened.”

Dick hesitantly placed his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come back to the Manor with me after school? We can talk about things.”

Logan nodded. “I’d like that. And maybe you could come with me to the cemetery?”

Dick smiled gently. “Of course I will.”

Logan smiled back and was about to say something else when they were both startled by the booming voice of the physical education teacher.

“What the hell is going on here?!” The bearded man barked at them, observing the injured bullies all still lying on the ground.

 

Dick cast his eyes down to the blue carpet beneath his feet as he listened to the school’s angry headmaster ramble on. He and Logan had been dragged into the office by the PE teacher after he had spotted them fighting with Lennox’s group. The office was very clean and tidy, framed by a bookshelf, filing cabinet and trophy case. On the wall hung a map of the school along with recent photos of the building and its faculty.

“Do either of you have any idea how serious this is?” The headmaster, Mr. O’Mara, hissed as he slammed his hands down on his dark brown desk.

“I have an idea of how serious it would have been for Dick if I hadn’t protected him.” Logan spat back, glaring with narrowed eyes.

“From what I hear, he didn’t need much protecting.” Mr. O’Mara countered. “I must say, I am extremely disappointed in you, Mr. Grayson. Starting fights only days after you joined us.”

“I didn’t start the fight.” Dick argued, gritting his teeth as he realised the headmaster had been lied to by someone.

Before the headmaster could respond, there was a loud knock on the door. Without waiting for permission to enter, Bruce Wayne opened the door and closed it behind him.

“Ah, Mr. Wayne. I’m pleased you could spare the time.” Mr. O’Mara greeted, gesturing to a chair. “Please, take a seat.”

“So, what’s this about, Mr. O’Mara?” Bruce asked as he sat in the chair, clasping his hands on his lap.

“Unfortunately, your ward started two fights today which have resulted in several students being badly beaten.” The headmaster explained. “I’m sure you understand I am well within my right to expel him and Mr. Valence right now.”

Bruce turned to Dick. “Is this true?”

“I didn’t start any fights and neither did Logan!” Dick responded, frustration building as he turned to the headmaster. “Why don’t you call Vincent in?”

“Which Vincent?” Mr. O’Mara questioned, reaching for his phone.

“Dominique.” Logan interrupted, realising exactly who Dick was referring to. The boy was a common target for Lennox and his cronies.

The following five minutes were tense and quiet as the headmaster tried to find Vincent Dominique. He ended up on the phone with the school nurse, who informed him that Vincent had gone home earlier in the day after being attacked by some bullies. The bullies were the same boys that had been beaten by Logan.

“You’re tense.” Bruce whispered to Dick. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“That bully, Lennox.” Dick explained in a matching whisper. “He’s the headmaster’s son, that’s why he gets away with it all the time.”

“Mr. O’Mara, is it true that the injured boys often cause trouble?” Bruce asked the older man as he slammed the phone down.

“Define trouble, Mr. Wayne.” O’Mara deflected.

“You know what I mean by trouble.” Bruce retorted, standing to his full height. “Do I need to make it clear what will happen to you if you throw these two boys under the bus to protect your son again?”

“That’s a bit of an empty threat, Mr. Wayne.” O’Mara retorted. “Given that this is, by all intents and purposes, a public school. Your money has no influence here.”

“I suggest checking the books, sir.” Bruce countered firmly. “This majority of the funding for this school comes directly from the Martha Wayne Foundation.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” O’Mara hissed angrily, shocked at the implications of Bruce’s threat.

“Come on, boys. We’re done here.” Bruce called, opening the door. “I wish your son a speedy recovery, Mr. O’Mara.”

 

After leaving the headmaster’s office, Logan had walked with Dick and Bruce as they headed out to the front of the school. Alfred stood by the Bentley Mulsanne as he waited for them. Before they had reached the expensive car, however, Bruce had requested a few minutes alone with Dick to discuss something in private. Logan found himself leaning against the pillar of a street light with his arms folded as he watched the two converse in what looked like a heated discussion.

“You want me to what?” Dick exclaimed in shock at his mentor.

Bruce folded his arms. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Dick clenched his fists and grit his teeth in frustration at the large man in front of him. As soon as they had pulled away from Logan, before Dick could ask about his friend joining them at the Manor, Bruce had declared that Dick needed more training with the Batcave’s Simulator. His sub-par performance against Killer Croc had brought certain weaknesses to Batman’s attention.

“I don’t have time for it today, Bruce.” Dick argued. “I promised Logan we could spend time together. Today is important to him.”

“Your training is important.” Bruce insisted, his tone cold. “Especially after last night. Croc almost killed you.”

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, Bruce!” Dick hissed back. “Logan needs me!”

“So does Gotham.” Bruce retorted, heading for the car. “We’re going home. Now.”

Dick growled loudly and pulled at his hair in frustration. He wouldn’t disobey the man, as Bruce had come to his rescue in his darkest hour and had helped him seek revenge on his parents’ killer. Bruce had been a great mentor and guardian, having turned into a powerful father figure and an inspiration. Dick had a genuine love and respect for Batman but sometimes he really wished he could get his own way.

“What’s up?” Logan placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder, causing the smaller teen to jump suddenly.

“It’s… I’m just…I…” Dick stuttered, trying to find a suitable excuse for going against his word. “I’m really sorry, Logan. I can’t stay with you today. Wayne Enterprises is having some big get together and I have to attend.”

Logan felt himself deflate with disappointment. “Why do you have to go? It’s his company.”

Dick sighed. “If anything happened to him, it would become my company.”

Logan’s eyes widened. “Seriously? He made you the heir to the Wayne fortune?”

Dick nodded. This part wasn’t a total lie and it diverted the conversation far away from the truth.

Logan sighed but nodded. “Okay. Text me if you have the time, okay?”

Dick nodded quickly. “I promise I will.”

“Dick!” Bruce’s voice called from the car. “Now!”

 

Logan took in a shaky breath as he walked along the grey stone path of Gotham Cemetery. Above him, the sky matched the mood perfectly with a ceiling of dark grey clouds. Gotham always seemed to be such a grey, dreary place with very little bright weather. The gravestones around him were damp and dark from recent rainfall which had also saturated the grass they stood on.

Logan’s best friend, Louis, walked beside him as they made their way to the Valence family grave. The gravestone was taller than most as it displayed the names of Logan’s parents, his little sister and his uncle, whose body was found several weeks later. Louis remained silent as Logan stared at the gravestone and placed a wreath of white carnations at the foot of it.

**IN LOVING MEMORY OF**

**JASON VALENCE**

**DECEMBER 1 1975 – JULY 18 2015**

**ALICIA VALENCE**

**NOVEMBER 25 1979 – JULY 18 2015**

**JESSICA VALENCE**

**JULY 18 2003 – JULY 18 2015**

**NICHOLAS VALENCE**

**AUGUST 2 1980 – JULY 17 2015**

Logan stared at their names and at the dates. It had already been a whole year without them in his life, a whole year as an orphan of the city. He had never been the same since and had been lucky in finding friendship with Louis. Louis had met him after he lost his family so never had to experience the extreme change that Logan had went through, even though it was clear Louis understood just how badly he had been traumatised.

Logan clenched his fists. The two men who had slaughtered his family were still alive along with their boss, Black Mask. All three of those men had continued to live their lives as normal. It wasn’t fair. How dare they enjoy another second alive on Earth when Logan’s family wasn’t there anymore. His little sister, Jessica, would have been thirteen now. She would have finally become a teenager. Logan should have been preparing to be the protective big brother that scared off bad boyfriends. He shouldn’t be placing a wreath on her grave, surviving her only through sheer luck. It was nauseating to even think about.

“I promise.” Logan choked out, hoping his family could hear him somehow. “I promise they’ll pay in blood for what they did.”

Louis placed his hand on Logan’s back, rubbing it gently. “I know you want to avenge them, man. I would too…”

“But?” Logan interjected, still staring at the grave.

“But maybe you shouldn’t. They wouldn’t want you doing what you’re doing.” Louis made his case. “You should be spending that time with Dick. For all you know, maybe they sent him to make you happy again.”

Logan didn’t answer right away. He knew that Louis was probably right, his family would be horrified to know that he was working for a sadistic crime boss. They would be furious and ashamed of his ambition to murder the man in cold blood. If they were still around, they’d be the first ones to stop him but they weren’t around anymore. Black Mask had taken them from him and he could never get over that.

Louis grimaced at Logan’s silence. He obviously wasn’t getting through to his friend like he had hoped he would. He felt guilty for not having done anything to stop Logan from going down this path but he knew there was still time to save him. If Logan’s plan worked then he would die almost immediately after killing the mobster. Black Mask was never alone. Louis knew it was what Logan wanted.

“Hey, look. It’s a robin.” Louis pointed out as the bird landed on the gravestone, chirping at them. “You know, Logan, they say robins are associated with new beginnings. If a robin flies into your life, then it means it’s time for renewal.”

Logan clapped his hands together loudly, startling the bird and sending it flying away in a panic.

“The only robin that could help me is the one that’s always with the Batman.” Logan snarled. “And it’s not like I can go to them for help anyway.”

“I’m just trying to help.” Louis defended himself, sensing animosity in the air.

“I know you are.” Logan retorted. “I appreciate it, seriously, I do. But the only thing that will ever make me feel better is watching Black Mask die.”

 

Dick bellowed angrily as he jumped in the air, spinning as he flew and landed a powerful kick to the punching bag he had been training with. He had been training for hours and had already damaged the training simulator’s robot, rendering it inoperative. As soon as he landed, there was a loud ripping sound as the punching bag split apart with the bottom half dropping to the cave floor. A small cloud of dust rose from the floor as the sand gathered beneath the empty bag.

“Master Dick, though I understand the importance of your training I cannot share your enthusiasm for destroying equipment.” Alfred’s voice called as he set a tray of food down on the nearest table. “Perhaps a break is in order. Burning yourself out will do more harm than good.”

“Bruce can clean it up.” Dick shot back, throwing his towel to the floor after wiping his brow. “He wanted me here.”

“I know him well, as you know, Master Richard.” Alfred replied, walking over to the angry teen. “So, may I ask what he has done this time?”

Dick sighed before looking up at the butler. “Logan’s an orphan. His family died a year ago today and he wanted me to be there for him. I wanted to be there.”

“But Master Bruce had other plans?” Alfred finished for him.

“Yeah and I really feel like hating him for it.” Dick continued. “Why force me into going to school only to stop me from having a social life?”

“A fair question indeed, young sir.” Alfred concurred. “One you should make a priority to ask him.”

Dick nodded slowly. “Thanks, Alfred. And sorry…”

“Sorry?” Alfred repeated. “Whatever for?”

“For getting so worked up and worried.” Dick explained. “I just can’t stay calm like you do all the time.”

“I learned long since, Master Dick, that all the worrying in the world changes nothing.” Alfred replied with a gentle smile. “So, I don’t.”

 

Logan shivered as the cold droplets of rain hammered down on his head, soaking his hair and running down the back of his neck inside his shirt. Gotham’s weather seemed to always be wet, even when it was dry. He despised having to go to work for Black Mask on the anniversary of his family’s murder but he reminded himself that it brought him one step closer to avenging them.

He gasped loudly as he was violently pulled out of his reverie by a pair of strong hands grabbing his shoulders. Before he could react, he was pulled into one of Gotham’s many dark alleyways and slammed against the brick wall of the building. Logan’s eyes widened as he identified his attacker, his heart pounding in his chest and his legs shaking at the realisation of seeing a familiar face.

The man was undoubtedly one of Black Mask’s men, given his dark clothes and the black skull mask tucked inside his leather jacket. The man had long brown dreadlocks and his clothes carried the stench of cigarette smoke. Logan’s eyes narrowed as his anger and hatred calmed his nerves. This was one of the two men who killed his family. He could never forget their faces.

The man sniggered. “You remember me. I can tell. That look in your eyes.”

Logan simply glared back silently as the man placed his hands around his neck, squeezing gently as a warning.

“You ratted out Blake to the Bat!” The man declared.

“Try and prove it.” Logan challenged, calling the thug’s bluff.

The man smiled sadistically and shrugged. “Don’t need to. The boss will want you dead when I tell him who you are.”

“Sure you wanna do that, tough guy?” Logan retorted with a confident smirk. “Bring Black Mask proof that you couldn’t do your job right? Prove you’re a liability?”

The man hesitated. “Got a point there, kiddo, which leaves me no other option but to kill you. Nothing personal but a job’s a job!”

“Get fucked!” Logan spat back, determined to exact his revenge.

Taking the man by surprise, Logan brought his arm up and brought it down across his chest, breaking the man’s grip on his neck. As soon as he broke free, he delivered a powerful right hook to the man’s jaw followed by another. His knuckles burned as the skin split from the force of the impacts. The man suddenly ducked the third punch and kept himself low as he tackled Logan back against the wall, slamming him against it. The killer followed up this attack with several quick punches to the gut and then another to Logan’s face.

Logan spat blood out of his mouth before ducking the next punch and countering with an uppercut to the man’s jaw. He could hear the loud crack as the man lost a tooth from the strike. The angry teen was quick to follow up his attack with a powerful kick delivered between the man’s legs, forcing him to double over so that Logan could grab his head and knee him in the face.

The man groaned in pain as his nose was burst open by Logan’s knee. He then took the teen by surprise by blocking the second knee strike with both his hands. The killer countered by grabbing Logan’s knee to hold it in place before dashing forward, knocking the teen off balance and sending Logan crashing onto his back. He quickly pounced on Logan, sitting on him and attacking the younger man with a flurry of punches.

Logan yelped in pain as each punch struck his face as he desperately searched for something he could use. His right hand clawed at the cold, wet paving of the alley in search of any kind of solid object he could use as a weapon. Once his fingers wrapped around the neck of a glass bottle, he raised his left arm and blocked the next punch. Logan quickly grabbed the man’s shirt collar, pulling him closer while swinging the glass bottle into the side of the man’s head. The glass exploded on impact, some of the shards embedding themselves in the side of the man’s head as he rolled off the teen in pain.

Logan stood up, glaring down at the man as his dreadlocks became sticky with the blood gushing from the side of his head. He kicked the man in the side and spat some blood onto the man’s body. He was shaking with adrenaline and hatred. This man was one of three who had to die and he was going to make sure it happened.

The man leapt to his feet with surprising speed, brandishing a shard of broken glass in his hand which he used to slash at Logan. The teen just managed to back away in time, resulting in only his shirt being ripped by the blade. He was unable to completely avoid the next slash and howled as the blade cut his cheek open, blood immediately pouring from the wound.

Realising how much danger he was in but refusing to allow himself to die, Logan kicked the man as hard as he could in the chest. The man coughed as the force of the kick knocked the air out of his lungs for a few moments, giving the teen time to search inside one of the dumpsters. He grit his teeth as he luckily found a thick plank of wood sitting at the top of the trash pile.

Logan roared as he swung the plank at his assailant, who had almost closed the distance between them. The plank struck the man in the side of the head with a dull but loud thud. The killer dropped the glass, the shard smashing as it hit the ground, and groaned in agony from the strike. Logan glared down at the man who had shot and killed his family, one of the men who had destroyed his life. His little sister would have been thirteen if not for this killer’s apathetic bloodlust.

Logan screeched with a mix of fury and heartbreak as he lifted the wooden plank and brought it down on the man’s head again. The wood vibrated violently in his hands as it slammed into the man’s skull. Logan howled again as he hammered the killer’s skull with plank a second time, then a third time, then a fourth and a fifth. Each strike vibrated less. Each impact became softer. The sixth strike was the final blow, the wooden plank struck the paved ground and splintered violently from the impact.

Logan dropped the broken plank of wood and backed away from the body, bumping into the wall of one of the buildings and allowing himself to slide down onto the wet ground. He stared at the man’s corpse, his skull completely shattered as blood and brain matter mixed with the rainwater. His originally brown dreadlocks now stained a dark crimson. Logan rubbed his face with the back of his hand, surprised when he realised he was crying. Blood, tears and raindrops ran down his face as he sat there staring at the brutalized corpse of the man he had just killed.

He took a few deep, shaky breaths as he tried to stop crying and get himself under control. When he glanced down at a puddle beside him, he realised how much his cheek was bleeding. It was going to require stitches. Something he didn’t have time for. Logan pulled his balaclava out of his jacket pocket and put it on, wincing as the fabric came in contact with his injuries. Unfortunately, he still had a job to do if he wanted to achieve his end-game.

Standing up on unsteady legs, he made his way back over to the corpse and searched the body. He cursed when he failed to find a gun. The man hadn’t been armed, which should have been obvious during the fight. All that was in the man’s pockets were cigarettes, a lighter and his wallet. Logan quickly took the money out of the wallet before stuffing it back into the same pocket he found it in. The sound of sirens in the distance was all the encouragement he needed to flee the scene.

 

The batmobile roared through the streets of Gotham like a finned stealth bomber on wheels, flames bursting out of the afterburner at the back as it made its way towards the docks. A violent murder had been reported and Detective Bullock was already on the scene, so Batman had decided to stop off there before going after the shipment. He said nothing about it to Robin but he had a dreadful feeling the body was going to belong to Logan.

“I don’t understand you!” Robin hissed as he sat with his arms folded. “Today was the one day I needed to be Dick Grayson and you wouldn’t let me.”

“Croc almost killed you.” Batman answered, the voice synthesiser masking Bruce’s voice. “You can’t take that lightly.”

“I don’t! I admit I got my ass kicked but the training could have waited one day!” Robin countered angrily. “Logan needed me!”

“He can manage on his own for a day.” Batman replied calmly as he slowed the car down.

“No, he can’t. He lost his parents a year ago today.” Robin almost shouted. “I can’t believe you of all people could be so insensitive to that!”

“We’re here.” Batman commented, ignoring the remark as the batmobile stopped and the cockpit slid open.

Batman leaped out of the car on one side and was followed by Robin on the other. The cockpit automatically slid shut as the automated locking system shut the car down. Only Batman and Robin could enter it. In front of the two caped heroes, Detective Harvey Bullock stood in front of a police cordon that blocked the entrance to the alleyway.

Detective Bullock stood out from the other cops in the city. He never wore a uniform, preferring to appear somewhat casual in brown jeans and an untucked white shirt complete with loose fitted tie. Perhaps in a failed attempt to obscure his untidiness, his clothes were usually hidden from view by his unbuttoned black leather trench coat. His messy brown hair was hidden under his distinctive grey fedora and a week’s worth of growth on his face gave him a rough look that matched his demeanour.

“Just so you know.” Bullock began as Batman walked up to him, his cape cocooning him. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t let you near it.”

“What have we got?” Batman asked gruffly.

“Male, late thirties, ties to organised crime, beaten to death with a wooden plank.” Bullock explained, glancing at Robin. “This one might be too gruesome for the kid, Bats.”

Batman glanced at Robin, a silent command for the teenage hero to stay where he was. The Dark Knight crossed the police cordon and entered the alleyway, changing his cowl’s vision mode to the built-in Detective Vision. The display highlighted points of impact and blood stains along with a full analysis of the corpse. For once, he agreed with Bullock. The sight of the smashed skull was horrific and so was the smell.

The Detective Vision highlighted a blood sample on shards of broken glass. Batman picked up the glass and analysed it with the special censors built in to the fingertips of his gloves. The DNA sample from the blood was not on the GCPD database, meaning the killer was new to the system. Batman’s gut instinct told him to cross-reference the blood with his own database and let out a disappointed sigh when it gave him a positive DNA match. Logan Valence. What surprised Batman the most was that there was more than one positive match on the system. It had linked Logan’s DNA with two other unsolved murders from several months ago. This was his third killing.

Despite this connection, Batman could tell that none of the murders had been premeditated. These had been acts of extreme violence during a desperate situation. The two previous murders had been two of Penguin’s men, killers known to the GCPD with long criminal records. The man who lay at Batman’s feet was unrecognisable after what Logan did to his skull, so Batman used his Detective Vision to form a crude reconstruction of the man’s face. His lenses glowed bright blue as the program tried to make sense of the shattered skull, slowly piecing the bones back together to give an 80% positive identification.

“Ashley Brown, known on the streets as Ashes. Drug dealing, theft, arson, armed robbery, convicted of double homicide, suspected of much more.” Batman explained to the forensics team who combed the alleyway for evidence. “Was released from Blackgate two years ago, probably due to Black Mask’s stranglehold on several judges and other officials.”

Batman bent down and reached into one of Ashes’ pockets, pulling out his mobile phone. The screen was cracked but the phone still worked. He inserted a small USB cable from his gauntlet into the bottom of the phone and quickly downloaded the contents, running through any potentially important files. A recent text revealed that Batman’s hunch had been correct; the next delivery was at Dixon Docks.

“If you ask me, Bats.” Bullock commented as Batman returned to the street. “No one’s gonna miss a guy like that. I sure as hell won’t.”

“Doesn’t matter. Who killed him and why is still important.” Batman responded, handing Robin a black memory card. “Robin, get this information to Gordon at the GCPD.”

“You want me to play messenger now?” Robin hissed, sticking the card in one of the compartments of his utility belt. “Seriously?”

“Get it done. Now.” Batman commanded, glaring down at his young protégé. “Take the car.”

Robin growled at the man but did as he was told, climbing back into the car before sliding the cockpit shut and rocketing off down the road. Harvey Bullock watched the car disappear into the distance, surprised that someone as young as Robin could drive such a ferocious looking vehicle. The argument between the caped heroes hadn’t gone unnoticed by him either.

“Wanna tell me what’s got into him?” Bullock asked, turning around to Batman only to discover that he was alone. He shrugged and lit a cigarette.

 

 Logan sighed as he finished loading up the second last van. The delivery had been made smoothly and the loading of the vans had gone just as smoothly. All the other vans had already departed to the various dealers in Gotham and Logan was grateful that they hadn’t been interrupted. He was equally grateful that the rain water, the weak dock lights and dark fabric of his balaclava helped conceal how much his cheek was still bleeding. His body ached from the fight and from all the heavy lifting but they were almost done. It had been a good night’s work.

Suddenly, the warehouse went black as the power to the lights was shut off. The only light that streamed in game from the docks outside and the occasional car headlight as it passed by. Everyone in the warehouse jumped when a wooden crate fell from one of the top shelves, smashing and splintering on the concrete floor. All the armed men held their guns at the ready. They all knew the Batman was in there with them.

A terrified shriek had them all spinning round to the source of the scream, discovering that one member of their crew had vanished into the darkness with no sign of Batman. Logan’s heart pounded in his chest and his legs shook nervously beneath him. He had been through a lot today and didn’t need to deal with Batman again. He grabbed hold of a crowbar and held it tightly in his fist, waiting for Batman to appear out of the darkness and attack him.

Confusion set in as the men starting coughing, smoke forming seemingly out of nowhere as their vision was reduced even more. More screams, shouts and gunfire confirmed that Batman had formally started his assault and was quickly picking them all off one at a time. Logan caught a glimpse of Batman’s cape through the smoke, the black fabric behaving almost like the tail of a wild animal as the armoured vigilante beat one of the men unconscious.

Not taking any chances, Logan rushed for the final van as it was the closest to the loading bay doors. He jumped in the empty van and let out a sigh of relief when he found the keys in the ignition. He quickly gunned the engine and slammed his foot down on the accelerator, speeding out of the warehouse and leaving the other crew members to deal with Batman on their own. Logan knew he had to get away. He couldn’t afford to get caught by Batman.

Logan focused on avoiding any traffic and driving as fast yet as carefully as he could. He had limited experience behind the wheel of any vehicle and knew he couldn’t attract the attention of the police either. A loud thud vibrated through the roof of the van’s cabin, startling Logan before he screamed as the driver’s side window exploded into fragments. Batman’s gloved hand reached for him, forcing the teen to slide himself further inside the cabin to avoid the hero’s reach.

He couldn’t understand why Batman had abandoned the warehouse. The logical choice would have been to deal with the thugs there and collect any evidence to use against Black Mask. Why was he specifically coming after one guy driving an empty van? Logan couldn’t fathom any possible explanation for Batman’s behaviour other than it being some kind of personal vendetta for lying to him the first time. Yet how could Batman possibly know who he was under the balaclava anyway?

The van lurched to the side as he swerved around a corner into another warehouse estate. He quickly realised that there were no more turn-offs and that he was driving straight towards a warehouse door. Logan panicked and hit the brake pedal but due to the wet ground, wet wheels and wet breaks, he didn’t feel the van slowing down. He tried each pedal repeatedly in the hopes the van would start slowing down before screaming as the vehicle slammed into the doors. The warehouse doors broke off their hinges as the van continued to speed through the building, scraping along shelves and smashing wooden crates as it went.

Ahead of them at the far end of the warehouse was a stockpile of containers and oil drums. There was no hope of stopping the van in time and whatever was stored inside the containers was flammable if the labels were anything to go by. Assuming Batman was still on top of the van, Logan decided to take a gamble and opened the door of the van before jumping out of the speeding vehicle.

The teen cried out as he slammed into the concrete floor and rolled along it, his arms, shoulders and legs all throbbing from the impact as he came to a stop. His head pounded heavily and his vision was blurry as he looked over his shoulder and watched as the van sped towards the drums with Batman still on top of it. Logan knew he had to move but he couldn’t help but watch as Batman fired some kind of gun into the air and rapidly ascended to the top of the warehouse to escape.

The van slammed into the containers, the front of it crumpling immediately before the engine somehow caught fire. The fire quickly spread thanks to the broken oil drums, thick black smoke filling the warehouse before the flammable containers exploded violently, sending debris shooting across the warehouse. Logan coughed and groaned in agony as he stood up before running towards the fire escape and exiting the warehouse. He prayed that Batman wasn’t still following him.

Inside the warehouse, Batman looked down at the fire from the rafters of the warehouse and reached into his utility belt. The fire was spreading rapidly out of control and if any more containers exploded then the whole building could come down. He pulled out several pellets that were far larger than his smoke grenades and tossed them one at a time down at the fire. Upon contact with the flames, the pellets exploded and released anti-fire foam that quickly doused the flames and brought the fire under control.

Using his cape to slow his descent, Batman dropped to the warehouse floor around the area where Logan had landed. He checked for any signs of the teenager and cursed under his breath when he realised he had escaped. Mixed in with the debris on the floor and the scuff marks left by Logan’s landing, was the tracker he had placed on him. The tracker had been smashed by the landing and was inoperative. Batman had no means of tracking Logan via the Batcomputer for the time being. He growled and cursed himself for being so sloppy. He had lost track of a teenager the same age as Dick with none of the training the latter possessed.

 

Commissioner Gordon sipped at his coffee and leaned back in his office chair. He was working the case notes for Black Mask’s most recent operation while also going through the entire GCPD for any more cops on the mobster’s payroll. It was stressful work and he was having trouble sleeping, which had become a normal part of his life since coming to Gotham. He also spent far too much time trying to work out why one of his officers had been spared by Black Mask’s armed thug at the docks the other night. It was a mystery to him. He looked at the mug he held in his hands and smiled.

**WHO NEEDS A SUPERHERO WHEN YOU HAVE DAD!**

The mug had been a birthday gift from his daughter, Barbara, who had recently turned fourteen and was becoming quite the genius. He was sure that if she chose to be a detective then she’d end up being a far better cop than he ever was. Gordon didn’t really care what his little girl chose to do with her life, so long as she was happy. He knew his daughter was destined for great things.

A knock on the window of his office brought him out of his brighter thoughts and back into the dark reality of life in Gotham. He set the mug down on his desk and walked over to the window. He wasn’t surprised to find Robin on the other side when he opened the window, the young hero’s armoured suit, cape and hood all dripping from the rain.

“I’m guessing neither you nor Batman know what a door is?” Gordon quipped and stood back to let Robin inside.

Robin remained on the window ledge and pulled out the memory card from his utility belt. “Here. Batman wanted you to take a look at this.”

Gordon examined the black memory card before pocketing it. “Thanks. I guess you two found something.”

“Yeah.” Robin answered, turning around on the window ledge. “He did.”

Gordon furrowed his brow in concern. “Are you alright? If you’re not, you can talk to me. I know you and Bats aren’t too big on that but…”

“Thanks.” Robin replied, his voice softening slightly. “But I’ll be fine.”

Before Gordon could get another word in, Robin dropped from the window ledge and disappeared into the night. The commissioner sighed and closed the window, appreciating that Robin wasn’t as prone to the disappearing act as Batman was. It did concern him, however, that someone so young was taking on the responsibility of Batman’s mission. That couldn’t be good for someone so young.

 

Logan closed the door behind him and winced as he removed the balaclava, the black fabric painfully sticking to his cut cheek as the blood turned sticky. He tossed the offending item to the floor and pressed the back of his hand against his cheek, grimacing when he saw fresh blood. His body ached, his head was throbbing and his legs felt weak.

“Christ…” Louis gasped as he caught sight of his friend. “What the hell happened?”

“I’m fine…” Logan replied weakly before falling forward.

Louis quickly sprung forward and caught him before he hit the floor. He looked over the injuries that were visible on his friend’s face. His face was swollen, his cheek was bleeding from the nasty gash on it and he was unsteady on his feet. He probably had a concussion as well. Louis wasn’t sure how much more of this quest for vengeance he could take.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Louis told him, dragging him over to the bed. “Logan?”

Logan didn’t respond. He lay against the bed where Louis had left him, unconscious and seemingly unresponsive despite Louis’ attempts to shake him awake.

“Logan!”

 

**So, chapter 3 is finally complete. Apologies for taking so long but so much has been going on in my life. I do want to get this story completed very soon though, as it will only have 7 chapters.**

**Anyway, let me know your thoughts and predictions in a comment/review. The more feedback I get, the more motivation I have to continue the story sooner.**

**Thanks for all the kudos/votes/favourites/follows/subscriptions and bookmarks.**

**Thanks to the reviewers of chapter 2: Sarah_94, PoseidonsUnderpants, dar on, Huntress01, bantan, Thenekogeek, and EllyArt.**


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